The Reds will end a five-year absence from Europe’s elite club competition when they welcome Bulgarian champions Ludogorets to Anfield on Tuesday

Paul Scholes believes Liverpool are an outside bet to win the Champions League on their return to the competition this season.

Liverpool are preparing for their first fixture in Europe’s elite club tournament since the 2009-10 campaign, with Bulgarian minnows Ludogorets the club’s first Group B opponent at Anfield on Tuesday.

The Merseyside giants have history in the competition, having won it on five occasions, and former Manchester United midfielder Scholes believes their famed home support might again prove a big asset.

“Liverpool are the dark horse of the competition this year,” Scholes told ITV. “Brendan Rodgers has done a fantastic job. The style of play he’s adopted is exciting to watch and the players seem to have taken to him.

“I feel they will do well with the players they have. The big advantage they have is a home crowd. Anfield is always a hostile place to go, which is something Manchester City lack.”

Defending champions Real Madrid are also in Group B, along with Swiss champions Basel.

Real are out to create history by becoming the first team in 25 years to retain the trophy but Scholes believes the La Liga club’s decision to part ways with Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso has opened the door for the Premier League contingent.

“I think one of the English teams has the potential to win it this year but they have to get past Real Madrid,” said the 39-year-old. “If you would have asked me before Real sold Di Maria and Alonso, two major influences in the team, I would have said no.

“Now I think they could be beatable. I believe an English team could win it this year.”

The 29-year-old return to training on Sunday after recovering from a knee injury but will miss Tuesday’s fixture against the Bulgarian champions at Anfield

Martin Skrtel has been ruled out of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Ludogorets despite returning to training on Sunday.

The 29-year-old has missed Liverpool’s last two Premier League matches with a knee injury, meaning that Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho were paired together in central defence in the win over Tottenham and Saturday’s defeat at home to Aston Villa.

And Brendan Rodgers has revealed the Slovakia international has returned to training but will not feature in Tuesday’s match.

“Martin has worked very hard. He joined the group yesterday, so he is working well,” the manager told reporters. “It’s probably too early for this game but after a good week’s training he should be ready for West Ham.

“Apart from that, we’re pretty much the same in terms of injuries.”

Daniel Sturridge continues to be sidelined with a thigh injury, while midfield duo Joe Allen and Emre Can and Glen Johnson and Jon Flanagan will also miss Tuesday’s clash against the Bulgarian champions at Anfield due to injury.

The Reds will end a five-year exile from Europe’s elite club competition when they welcome Bulgarian side Ludogorets to Anfield on Tuesday evening

Brendan Rodgers insists Liverpool’s return to the Champions League is a positive for everyone in the tournament, insisting the competition “needs” the club.

Liverpool host Bulgarian side Ludogorets at Anfield on Tuesday in a game that will mark their first Champions League match since 2009 after finishing second in the Premier League last season.

Rodgers is relishing managing the Reds in Europe’s elite club competition and, while he is eager to ensure they progress from a group that also contains Basel and Real Madrid, the 41-year-old’s main focus is to ensure the club become a regular presence once again.

“We’re very excited to be in the Champions League. Five years is a long time to be out of it for a club like Liverpool,” Rodgers told reporters. 

“Our overriding objective first of all is to qualify and come out of the group. We’ll take it one game at a time and aim for three points.

“It is one of the great clubs with a rich European heritage, and the competition needs Liverpool in it.

“The key is to ensure we remain in it for the long term, and it is a challenge that excites us as well – for us there is no fear, we will embrace it.”