Liverpool’s path to the Champions League knockout stages isn’t yet certain, but their situation is far less dramatic than the challenges faced by the Academy team on Tuesday afternoon.
With less than 10 minutes remaining in their final UEFA Youth League group match against Girona, Liverpool’s under-19s, reduced to 10 men after Ranel Young’s first-half red card, were trailing 2-1 and nearing elimination.
However, a brilliant late equalizer from Trent Kone-Doherty earned a crucial point, keeping Barry Lewtas’s side in the race for a place in the top 22 of the 36-team competition, securing a spot in the last 32.
Liverpool’s qualification was eventually confirmed a few hours later when PSG and Bayer Leverkusen both failed to win, ensuring the team’s progression.
“I’m delighted we’ve progressed,” Lewtas said. “We started very well against Girona. Playing away in Europe is always tough, but we moved the ball well and deserved to take the lead.
The red card was disappointing, but I was pleased with how we responded. Trent’s goal was fantastic, and even under pressure in the second half, I think we earned the result despite being a man down.”
Lewtas expressed frustration over Young’s red card, especially since Girona hadn’t received a single yellow. “It was tough to go down to 10 men, but decisions are part of the game. We had to find a way to get a result against a strong team that hadn’t lost. The character we showed was fantastic.”
Liverpool finished the group stage with eight points, earning victories over Bologna and Bayer Leverkusen at home, drawing at AC Milan, and losing to RB Leipzig and Real Madrid.
Their 19th-place finish means they will face a tough tie in the knockout stages, with teams ranked 17th to 22nd drawn against the top six. Despite the challenging road ahead, Lewtas remains optimistic. “We’ve faced six tough challenges and played six good games. The competition’s quality has been very high.
The loss in Leipzig was deserved, but it’s frustrating not to get anything from the Real Madrid match, where we conceded early and missed chances. Overall, our performances have been strong, but small mistakes at this level can be costly.”
