Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid Champions League preview

Champions League - Game Week 1

9 Sept 2026 - 15:00

Anfield

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid kicks off on 9 Sept 2026 at 15:00 EST and 20:00 GMT.

Match preview

The Champions League league phase gets underway with six-time European champions Liverpool welcoming Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid to Anfield.

Liverpool finally up and running in the EPL

Andoni Iraola's Reds ran out 2-0 winners against Ipswich Town on Friday, courtesy of a first-half brace from Alexander Isak to claim their first win of the campaign, after a pair of 2-2 draws. They also handed a debut to £123m summer signing Bradley Barcola, and the Frenchman might be eyeing a start here against Atleti.

Getty Images

Atleti come off a stretch of mixed results

The visitors took a 3-0 hiding against Athletic Bilbao at the weekend in LaLiga, and continue to be plagued by problems up top. Argentinian striker Julian Álvarez wants out of the club after his desired move to Barcelona didn't materialise, while Alexander Sorloth is out with an injury. It's been a patchy sequence of results for manager Diego Simeone, with the defeat to Bilbao following a 3-1 win at Sevilla and a 2-2 draw with Villarreal. Alvarez was introduced off the bench against Bilbao, as was his compatriot and summer signing Cristian Romero. The pair might both be in line to start as they have invaluable Premier League playing experience.

Getty Images

Likely XIs

Liverpool (4231): Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak.

Atleti (442): Oblak; Llorente, Pubil, Romero, Grimaldo; Simeone, Barrios, Hjulmand, Lookman; Álvarez, Baena.

Team news & squads

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid Probable lineups

Liverpool

LIV

Formation

Atletico Madrid

ATM

Atletico Madrid

ATM

Manager

• A. Iraola

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has not confirmed a probable starting XI ahead of the match, and no injury or suspension information is currently available for the home side. Updates are expected to be added closer to kick-off.

Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone is similarly yet to release team news, with no confirmed absences or suspensions listed at this stage. Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

Form

LIV - Form

AllHome

D0-0

W2-0

D2-2

D2-2

W0-2

Goal Scored (Conceded)

8/4

Games over 2.5 goals

2/5

Both teams scored

2/5

ATM - Form

AllAway

W1-2

W2-0

D2-2

W1-3

L3-0

Goal Scored (Conceded)

9/7

Games over 2.5 goals

4/5

Both teams scored

3/5

Liverpool have recorded one win, three draws, and one defeat across their last five matches. Their most recent result was a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, and they also drew 2-2 with Newcastle United the week before. Their only win in that run came in a friendly against Como, while they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Monaco in pre-season. Liverpool scored six goals and conceded seven across those five outings.

Atletico Madrid have been in stronger form, winning three of their last five and losing once. Their most recent result was a 3-1 victory away at Sevilla in LaLiga, and they also beat Malaga 2-0 earlier in August. A 2-2 draw with Villarreal and a 2-1 friendly win over Marseille round out a positive sequence, with their only defeat coming against Manchester City in pre-season. Atletico scored nine goals and conceded eight across those five matches.

Head-to-Head Record

Head to Head

Draw

3

0

2

17 Sept

Champions League

Liverpool

LIV

3

Atletico Madrid

ATM

2

FT

03 Nov

Champions League

Liverpool

LIV

2

Atletico Madrid

ATM

0

FT

19 Oct

Champions League

Atletico Madrid

ATM

2

Liverpool

LIV

3

FT

11 Mar

Champions League

Liverpool

LIV

2

Atletico Madrid

ATM

3

FT

18 Feb

Champions League

Atletico Madrid

ATM

1

Liverpool

LIV

0

FT

9Goals Scored8

Games over 2.5 goals3/5

Both teams scored3/5

The most recent meeting between these sides came in the Champions League on September 17, 2025, when Liverpool won 3-2 at Anfield. Across the last five head-to-head encounters — all in the Champions League — Liverpool have won three times to Atletico's two. The previous meetings include a 2-0 Liverpool win at Anfield in November 2021, a 3-2 Liverpool win in Madrid in October 2021, a 3-2 Atletico win at Anfield in March 2020, and a 1-0 Atletico win in the first leg of that same tie in February 2020.

Standings

Form

#		P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	Club BruggeCLB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	FeyenoordFEY	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	PSV EindhovenPSV	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Paris Saint-GermainPSG	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	RomaROM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	VfB StuttgartVFB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Real MadridRMA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	InterINT	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	LensRCL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	ArsenalARS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Atletico MadridATM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	FC PortoPOR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Manchester UnitedMUN	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	ComoCOM	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	VillarrealVIL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Sporting CPSCP	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	AEK AthensAEK	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Slavia PragueSLP	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	FenerbahceFB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	RB LeipzigRBL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Manchester CityMCI	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	BarcelonaBAR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Real BetisBET	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Bayern MunichFCB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Aston VillaAVL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	LilleLIL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	LASKLAS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	LiverpoolLIV	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Shakhtar DonetskSHK	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Slovan BratislavaSLB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Bodoe/GlimtBOD	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Borussia DortmundBVB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	GalatasarayGAL	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	Sabah FKSAB	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	SSC NapoliNAP	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
1	VikingVIK	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Qualification to 1/8 finals

In the Champions League standings, both Liverpool and Atletico Madrid are currently positioned first in their respective groups.