Andoni Iraola says he must ‘take the blame’ for one thing in Liverpool’s win over Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid: Andoni Iraola Praises Character in Champions League Comeback

Liverpool got the result. More importantly, they got it the hard way.

A 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in their Champions League opener told a familiar story of this early Iraola era, a side forced to solve problems in real time, a side that does not always start cleanly, and a side that has already shown it can recover when matches become messy.

Atletico took the lead through Marcos Llorente and, for a while, Liverpool looked awkward. The structure in front of them was not what they expected and it caused issues. Then came the adjustment, then came the pressure, and eventually the goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister turned the game.

Iraola was direct afterwards. No spin, no self-congratulation. He put some of the opening problems on himself. “Yes, I think today I have to blame myself a little bit for the start of the game. I think Atletico used a structure that they haven’t used before this season and it has cost us a little bit to match up properly.”

That is the useful part. Liverpool won, but the manager’s main takeaway was not sentiment. It was correction. Once his side adapted, the game changed. “I think until we conceded the goal and we’ve had a couple of minutes where we’ve adjusted things and [then] we match up much better. It was the moment where we started playing better.”

Champions League comeback built on in-game adjustment

The second half was where Liverpool looked like a coherent side rather than a team trying to decode a puzzle. Iraola made that clear. “Obviously after half-time, you have more time [then], [but] everything was better set. In the second half I think we were the best team.”

That matters because this was not just about energy or emotion. It was about recognition and response. Coaches talk endlessly about automatisms and patterns, but European matches can wreck those in a moment. Liverpool had to react to something they had not prepared for, and they did.

Iraola’s verdict on the mindset was simple. “I think the team [and] the players have shown big character, big character.”

He was also clear on the role of Anfield. “Also, the crowd has helped us massively in the second half. You know, in these kinds of nights you are there doing your job, but you also can enjoy it.”

That is about as close as you get to romance from a coach who generally deals in mechanics. The point stands. Liverpool needed the stadium and got it.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai deliver

The scorers were hardly random. Szoboszlai and Mac Allister are midfielders who arrive in the right spaces and attack the box with intent. Iraola sees that as a tactical asset rather than a bonus. “Yeah, [it’s a] lovely goal from Alexis, lovely from Dom Szoboszlai. I think it’s good also that midfielders can add goals because we have midfielders that naturally are going to arrive to the box.”

He expanded on the balance between positional discipline and instinct. “Sometimes we are talking about the structure, keep your position, but it’s inside them [to do it] for Ryan Gravenberch, from Dom Szoboszlai and for Alexis Mac Allister. It’s good that we can also benefit offensively from those situations where they arrive to the box.”

That is encouraging for Liverpool because goals from midfield change the arithmetic of a season. They reduce dependence on a single source, they punish compact defending, and they give the side another route when matches tighten.

Ronald Araujo impact gives Liverpool another weapon

One of the more interesting notes from the night was Iraola’s assessment of Ronald Araujo. He was emphatic. “I think he’s been very, very good. The other day [against Ipswich Town] and he has been, I would say, even better today.”

Araujo is known first for defending, but Iraola made a point of highlighting the other part of his game. “I think he’s defending really well his side, but also sometimes because he’s a centre-back we underrate his offensive side. Today he gives a great assist to Dom Szoboszlai.”

He went further: “He’s made a couple of very good serves from his position and I’m very happy with him. Very happy. He’s come with the willingness to show that he belongs to this level, and I hope we can keep him there because he’s in a lovely place.”

If Liverpool are to grow under Iraola, this matters. A back line that can progress play cleanly and create from deeper zones gives the whole system more range.

Liverpool character remains early hallmark under Iraola

The broader theme here is not perfection. It is resilience. Liverpool have already made a habit of reacting under pressure and their head coach knows it. “I’m happy today because we faced a very tough situation starting the game [by] conceding the first goal [and] not having the plan very clear in terms of they changed some things. I think we’ve corrected quite well live, and this experience will help us for the next time.”

He also admitted the team is still building shared reference points. “We don’t have three years of experience where you can say, ‘You remember this one?’ Then you correct things.”

That is the reality of a relatively new cycle. Liverpool are learning on the job. They are having to communicate quickly, adapt quickly and still collect points while doing it. Iraola summed that process up well: “Here [right] now you have to talk with a lot of players, you have to correct and to get results. To go in behind [and] win the game, I think it’s in four games [it’s] three times that we’ve come back somehow. I think it shows that players are pushing, [they] are showing character and now it’s a matter of getting everything cleaner and sharper.”

Liverpool got the win. The analysis after it was colder than the atmosphere. That is probably a good sign. Character got them through the night. Cleanliness and sharpness are what come next.

For more on Liverpool’s Champions League progress and Andoni Iraola’s early work, match coverage and reaction remain essential reading across the football landscape, including this report.