Liverpool will want to reap the rewards of success under new head coach Arne Slot, but also must be prepared to accept what their rivals point out to be negatives
Arne Slot has barely been in the dugout three months and already has Liverpool supporters dreaming of silverware. Against expectations an incredible start to the season has put them on track to achieve this, though they must also be aware of one so-called negative aspect that is the price of success.
The transition between legendary manager Jurgen Klopp to new head coach Arne Slot could hardly have gone smoother. Liverpool top of the Premier League after 10 matches, lead the new Champions League format at the halfway stage and are into the Carabao Cup last eight with 14 out of 16 matches won in all three competitions.
Where many followers of the club would have hoped for at least the maintaining of last season’s levels, the Dutchman in charge is daring to inspire the achievement of more in his first season with the club.
However, competing for the highest of honours means to make sacrifices, as rivals Manchester City and Chelsea are finding out this season.
Focusing on the Reds current run in the Champions League, they remain the only unbeaten team in the competition now after this midweek’s round of fixtures. Depending on how far they go in that competition will determine not only their ranking amongst their rivals this season, but in UEFA’s overall coefficient ranking system too.
A club competing in any UEFA competition will have a coefficient score, which is totalled up over the current season plus the four prior seasons, with points awarded based on performance in Europe. Given their strong start to life under Slot Liverpool have the joint-most accumulated points in 2024/25 alongside Aston Villa, according to Transfermarkt, having scored 12.000 so far.
And judged from the 2020/21 campaign through to now, their overall total is 108.000 – the fourth-highest of any active European club. Only Man City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich sit above.
This can be viewed as an honour to be rated so highly amongst their rivals, especially now that there is a reward for it. As FIFA recently revamped the Club World Cup into a 32-team quadrennial summer tournament, it is the top 12 teams in this continent’s coefficient ranking that get nominated to take part.
As Liverpool’s rivals Man City won their first Champions League title in 2023 and Chelsea won their second two years prior, they ranked so highly that they were one of the 12 selected.
