I am glad we (Liverpool) are already qualified for the last 16. Some of our players look tired so it will be nice to rotate and give players a rest without it affecting our chance at winning the CL.
We also won’t have to play that two legged play off which is a huge bonus. Teams like Man City and Real Madrid might not have this luxury.
Yes, for this new format, teams that finish in 1-8th positions have the privilege of not having to play a two-legged play-off. However, that does not mean they can easily get through the knockout rounds later, the luxury is only having time to rest, the rest of the UCL league matches are difficult to get through. A good start does not promise a good ending, this is what happened to Liverpool last season in the Europa League.
This season, Man City has nothing special, even qualifying for the play-offs is also difficult because they have to play against PSG, both of whom are also fighting to qualify for the play-offs. Meanwhile, Real Madrid can be sure to qualify for the play-offs because in the remaining two matches they will play against easy teams. However, Real Madrid, although they currently do not have the luxury of Liverpool, Real Madrid still has its own characteristics. Real Madrid often appear unstable in the group stage, but in the knockout round they are difficult to stop, especially if they enter the final match.