Liverpool FC
Liverpool FC

LINZ, Austria — Liverpool looks to bounce back from a weekend defeat when it visits Austrian champion LASK in the Champions League on Wednesday, with the depleted Premier League club heavily favored despite a growing injury list.

The league phase match at Raiffeisen Arena kicks off at 6:45 p.m. local time, 5:45 p.m. in Britain and 12:45 p.m. EDT in the United States.

It is the second match of the league phase for both teams.

How to watch

In the United States, the match will be streamed exclusively on Paramount+, which holds the rights to every Champions League match of the 2026-27 season.

In Britain, the match will be shown on TNT Sports 2, with coverage beginning at 5 p.m. BST. It can also be streamed through the discovery+ and HBO Max apps.

In Canada, the match is available on DAZN and Fubo.

Kickoff times

  • Eastern Time: 12:45 p.m.
  • Central Time: 11:45 a.m.
  • Mountain Time: 10:45 a.m.
  • Pacific Time: 9:45 a.m.
  • Britain: 5:45 p.m.
  • Austria: 6:45 p.m.

The early kickoff has drawn attention among fans in Britain, where the match starts during the working day.

Liverpool seeks to rebound

Liverpool opened its Champions League campaign with a 2-1 home win over Atletico Madrid last month. But the club arrives in Austria after a defeat to Manchester City on the weekend.

The Reds are now under manager Andoni Iraola, who was hired in part for his attractive, high-intensity pressing style and quick transitions. That approach is likely to be on display as Liverpool tries to disrupt LASK's buildup play.

Liverpool has been strong in the competition in recent years, winning 25 of its last 29 Champions League matches.

Injury concerns

Liverpool will be without several key players. Forwards Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai remain sidelined with injuries, according to team news.

Defender Milos Kerkez has acknowledged the strain on the squad, describing the schedule as "a bit tough" with six players injured.

With key attackers missing, Iraola's lineup is expected to look unfamiliar. Midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is likely to start alongside 19-year-old Trey Nyoni, allowing Alexis Mac Allister a rest during a congested stretch of four matches in 10 days.

Liverpool's projected lineup includes Alisson in goal and Virgil van Dijk in defense, with Florian Wirtz leading the attack alongside young forward Rio Ngumoha and Bradley Barcola.

LASK's dramatic route

LASK, making its debut in the Champions League league phase, reached the competition in remarkable fashion. The Austrian champion overturned a 4-0 aggregate deficit against Celtic in the final hour of their qualifying tie to win 5-4.

But the club's recent form has been poor. LASK is winless in its last four competitive matches, with one draw and three losses. It has also struggled defensively.

LASK is winless in six matches against English opposition, with one draw and five defeats. The club will be without several players for Wednesday's match.

Head-to-head

The teams have met twice before, both in the 2023-24 Europa League group stage, and Liverpool won both matches.

In Linz in September 2023, Liverpool came from behind to win 3-1 after Florian Flecker gave LASK an early lead. Darwin Núñez, Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah scored for Liverpool. The Reds then won 4-0 at Anfield.

Who will win?

Liverpool is a heavy favorite. Betting markets give the visitors an implied probability of about 79% of winning, with LASK around 10% and a draw around 17%.

Several previews predict a 2-0 Liverpool win, citing the gulf in quality between the squads and LASK's defensive struggles, even with Liverpool missing key players.

However, LASK's comeback against Celtic showed the Austrian side is capable of surprises, particularly in front of a home crowd at the 19,080-capacity Raiffeisen Arena. With Liverpool fielding a rotated lineup, the hosts may see an opportunity.

Referee

German official Tobias Stieler will referee the match. He has previously taken charge of three Liverpool games.

What's next

After facing LASK, Liverpool's remaining league phase opponents include home matches against Porto, Villarreal and Lens and away games against Inter Milan, Club Brugge and Fenerbahce.

LASK will host Porto, Fenerbahce and Slovan Bratislava and travel to Sporting, Bodø/Glimt and Real Madrid.

Under the Champions League format, the top eight teams in the 36-team league phase advance directly to the round of 16, while teams finishing ninth through 24th enter a playoff round. A win Wednesday would put Liverpool in a strong position to push for an automatic qualifying spot.