Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid: Match Details
- Competition: UEFA Champions League – League Phase, Matchday 1
- Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
- Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
- Kick-off: 8:00 PM BST / 20:00 GMT
- Referee: Davide Massa
Liverpool open their 2026-27 Champions League campaign against a familiar continental rival, with Atletico Madrid making their customary early-season trip to Anfield. It's a repeat of last year's league-phase opener between the two sides and arrives at a pivotal moment for both clubs as they look to find early rhythm in Europe.
Team News and Form
Liverpool head into the match on the back of a much-needed 2-0 win over Ipswich Town, with Alexander Isak scoring a first-half brace to end a run of two draws to open the Premier League season. New signing Bradley Barcola made his debut in that game and could push for a start against Atletico. It's the first Champions League match in charge for new head coach Andoni Iraola, who has never beaten a Diego Simeone side in four previous meetings (three losses, one draw).
Atletico Madrid arrive at Anfield out of form, having lost 3-0 to Athletic Club in their most recent LaLiga outing. Despite the underwhelming build-up, Diego Simeone has a near-fully fit squad to choose from, giving him plenty of tactical flexibility heading into a difficult atmosphere.
Predicted Lineups
Liverpool (possible XI): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Munoz, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak
Atletico Madrid (possible XI): Oblak; Llorente and a settled backline, with Hjulmand and Pablo Barrios anchoring midfield, and Alex Baena and Kang-In Lee tasked with creating chances in behind the Liverpool defense.
Head-to-Head Record
Liverpool hold a strong recent record against Atletico Madrid, particularly in Europe:
- Liverpool have won 3 of the last 5 meetings between the sides, all of which have come in the Champions League.
- The most recent meeting, in September 2025, saw Liverpool win 3-2 at Anfield, with goals from Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah either side of a Marcos Llorente brace, before Virgil van Dijk struck the winner.
- Liverpool have never lost their opening game of a European Cup or Champions League campaign at home, winning 10 of 12 such fixtures.
- Each of the last three season-opening meetings between these two sides at Anfield has finished 3-2 to Liverpool.
Key Players to Watch
- Florian Wirtz (Liverpool): Averaged the best chance-creation rate of any player with 300+ minutes in last season's Champions League and is expected to operate between Atletico's midfield and defensive lines.
- Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool): Liverpool's standout Champions League performer last season across goals, assists, distance covered, and possession won.
- Alexander Isak (Liverpool): In red-hot form after his brace against Ipswich, he'll lead the line supported by Wirtz, Barcola, and Gakpo.
- Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid): Scored 10 Champions League goals last season, though Simeone's revamped attacking setup means his role could look different this time out.
Match Prediction
Statistical models favor the hosts, with Opta's supercomputer giving Liverpool a 53% chance of victory, compared to just 23.5% for an Atletico win and the remainder for a draw. Given Liverpool's dominant home record in European openers and Atletico's shaky current form, Anfield could be set for another entertaining, high-scoring night — though Simeone's side are notoriously difficult to break down and will look to frustrate Liverpool before hitting on the counter.
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