UEFA ‘Bans’ Liverpool vs Real Madrid Champions League Clash at Anfield
- Liverpool will not be allowed to host Real Madrid at Anfield in the 2026/27 season if both teams are drawn together
- A new UEFA rule will prevent the same home-and-away fixtures for three consecutive group stages in the Champions League
- The latest regulation by UEFA only applies to group-stage matches, not knockout rounds
UEFA has confirmed that Liverpool will be barred from hosting Real Madrid at Anfield in the 2026/27 Champions League group stage due to a new regulation aimed at maintaining fixture balance and variety in the competition.
The rule, which takes effect from the 2026/27 season, ensures that teams do not face each other three years in a row with the same home-and-away setup.
Source: Getty Images
This comes after Liverpool and Real Madrid have been paired together frequently in recent years, with the Spanish giants holding the upper hand.
Since 2009, the two clubs have met nine times, with Los Blancos winning seven of those encounters, including two Champions League finals, as seen on Sports Mole.
Despite their rich European history, Liverpool, a team having a turbulent 2025/26 season, have struggled to turn the tide in their favour, securing only one win since 2018.
UEFA’s new fixture rotation rule, however, means that even if both clubs are drawn in the same group again, the venue must change, forcing the next meeting to take place at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Why the new rule matters
The regulation from UEFA, quietly introduced to promote fairness in match scheduling, aims to prevent repetition of home fixtures that could influence competitive balance.
Source: Getty Images
According to UEFA, the new rule states that:
“If any teams that already played against each other in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2024/25 season are again drawn against each other, with the same home team, in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in the 2025/26 season, those teams will not be able to be drawn against each other with the same home team in the 2026/27 season.”
The measure ensures that clubs experience a fair mix of home and away challenges.
For Liverpool, this means that after hosting Real Madrid in back-to-back seasons, they would have to travel to Spain if the fixture repeats.
Importantly, the rule only affects the league-phase stage and does not extend to knockout rounds, where pairings are determined through separate draws without home-field restrictions.
Liverpool keen to end bad record vs Real Madrid
Liverpool’s encounters with Real Madrid have produced some of modern football’s most captivating moments, from heartbreak in the 2018 and 2022 finals to a memorable 2-0 home victory in 2024 under Arne Slot.
That victory was Liverpool’s only win over the Spanish giants since 2018, marked by a missed Kylian Mbappe penalty and a masterclass in tactical discipline.
Now, as both clubs gear up for their latest meeting at Anfield, it marks not just another chapter in their storied rivalry, but possibly the last one at the iconic stadium for at least two years.
Arne Slot reacts to Liverpool’s slump
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Liverpool lost 3-2 to Brentford to record their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday night, October 25.
The home team took the lead in the 5th minute when Dango Ouattara volleyed in following a long through before Kevin Schade made it 2-0 in the 45th minute.
Source: Legit.ng
