Liverpool last played in the group stage of the Champions League in 2014-15 and their presence means the English Premier League will have five of the 32 teams after Manchester United qualified as Europa League winners. Liverpool scored three goals in 12 dramatic first-half minutes, two of them from Emre Can, on their way to a hugely entertaining 4-2 win over Hoffenheim which took them back to the Champions League group stage after a two-season absence on Wednesday. Qarabag became the first team from Azerbaijan to reach the group stage when they qualified on away goals after losing 2-1 away to FC Copenhagen, while APOEL Nicosia and CSKA Moscow also went through. Liverpool, 6-3 winners on aggregate, last played in the group stage in 2014-15 and their presence means the English Premier League will have five of the 32 teams after Manchester United qualified as Europa League winners. There was a huge amount at stake in Wednesday's games as teams who take part in the group stage receive a minimum fixed payment of 12.7 million euros ($15.00 million), with bonuses of 1.5 million euros per win and 500,000 euros for a draw.

Source: dna August 24, 2017 03:33 UTC