Opposition Report: What to expect from Atletico Madrid against Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid: Threats, Tensions and the Test Waiting at Anfield

There is history here, and not the cosy kind. Liverpool and Atletico Madrid have crossed paths often enough for the edge to remain sharp, for the memories to come back quickly, and for everyone inside Anfield to understand what sort of night this could become.

Atletico arrive for the opening of Liverpool’s Champions League campaign with Diego Simeone still setting the tone. For years, his side have been shorthand for needle, nuisance and game management taken to extremes. They have rarely cared how it looks if it gets the job done. That identity has brought them trophies, credibility and a place among Europe’s awkward customers.

Yet there has been a shift. The old snarl remains, but this version carries more variety. Liverpool will still expect all the familiar attempts to disrupt rhythm and drag the contest into the gutter, but there are footballers in this side who can hurt you in more conventional ways as well.

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Atletico Madrid arrive with doubts

Their domestic start has been mixed. Atletico opened with victories over Malaga, 2-0, and Sevilla, 3-1, and also drew 2-2 with Villarreal, another side Liverpool will meet in Europe. On paper, that is respectable enough. The problem is what came next.

A 3-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao has taken some of the shine off their opening weeks and left them sixth in La Liga with seven points from four matches. For a club that have spent years defining themselves through resilience, conceding three without reply jars. Simeone heads to Merseyside knowing a decent start has already become a slightly underwhelming one.

That does not make Atletico harmless. If anything, it makes them more dangerous. Wounded teams tend to become stubborn teams, and stubborn teams are usually Simeone’s natural habitat.

Danger men Liverpool must watch

The summer departure of Antoine Griezmann marked another turn in Atletico’s rebuild. Familiar names have disappeared over time, but there is no shortage of quality left.

Alex Baena is the one who leaps off the page. The left winger, part of Spain’s World Cup winning side this summer, has started the season with three goals and one assist in four matches. He is direct, sharp and liable to fancy the spaces down Liverpool’s right if there is any uncertainty there.

On the other flank, Kang-In Lee has settled quickly after his move from Paris Saint-Germain. One goal and one assist in four appearances tells only part of the story. He glides into dangerous positions and links play well. Ademola Lookman brings pace and unpredictability, while Giuliano Simeone offers energy and a willingness to make the sort of runs defenders hate tracking.

Then there is Julian Alvarez. He was reportedly keen on a move to Barcelona during the summer, but remains an Atletico player and a dangerous one. Whatever noise accompanied him in pre-season, Liverpool cannot afford to treat him as a supporting act.

Marcos Llorente remains a familiar menace

Some names stir immediate discomfort, and Marcos Llorente is firmly in that category. Liverpool supporters know exactly what damage he can do. He scored twice in last September’s meeting and twice more in that infamous Anfield encounter in 2020.

He tends to operate at right-back now, but that does not remove the threat. If anything, it gives him more room to build momentum from deeper areas. He is one of those players who can turn a loose passage of play into a problem within seconds.

This is unlikely to be pretty. Against Atletico, it rarely is. But if Liverpool keep their discipline, move the ball quickly and refuse to get dragged into the nonsense, Anfield has every chance of seeing a winning start in the Champions League.