Hoffenheim stand between Liverpool and the Champions League

The draw for the final play-off round for the Champions League was made on Friday and Premier League side Liverpool were drawn against Hoffenheim. If the Anfield club can overcome the Bundesliga side they will earn a place in the group stage of the 2017/18 Champions League. 

Following their fourth place finish in the Premier League last season, Jurgen Klopp's men enter just one step away from making the Champions League. If the motivation to qualify for Europe's most elite competition is not enough, the losing side will instead compete in the Europa League, which brings with it those infamous Thursday night fixtures. 

The first leg will take place in Hoffenheim on either 15th or 16th August, with the return leg to be played at Anfield the following week. 

Hoffenheim finished in fourth place in the Bundesliga last season, twenty points behind winners, Bayern Munich. That is only slightly more than the seventeen points which Liverpool finished behind Premier League winners, Chelsea.

If Liverpool can overcome this hurdle, they will make it five Premier League teams competing in this season's Champions League, joining Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Manchester United, who have all already qualified. 

Other big name teams that are taking part in this Champions League play-off round include Celtic, Sporting Lisbon, Napoli and Sevilla.