Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola will be reunited with his former assistant Inigo Perez in the Champions League after the Reds drew the Perez-coached Villarreal in Thursday's draw
Inigo Perez
Andoni Iraola with Inigo Perez before a 2024 friendly between Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool learned its eight opponents for the league phase of the 2026/27 Champions League on Thursday, a slate that includes a home matchup against Spanish side Villarreal.
The Yellow Submarine is managed by Inigo Perez, new Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola's No. 2 when the Reds coach was at Rayo Vallecano.
Liverpool's full 2026/27 Champions League slate includes an encounter with Reds academy player Curtis Jones and Inter Milan at the San Siro and yet another matchup against Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid at Anfield. Perez and Iraola were teammates at Athletic Bilbao once upon a time (on and off from 2009 to 2014). Iraola recruited his fellow Basque player to join him at Rayo Vallecano in 2022.
Iraola tried to bring Perez with him to Bournemouth as an assistant coach in 2023, but Perez's work visa was rejected, and he remained in Spain.
He had already rejected the coaching job at Rayo Vallecano, but he was named the side's interim boss midway through the 2023/24 campaign.
Inigo Perez
Iraola (L) with Perez (R) in 2012 for Athletic Bilbao(Image: Getty Images)
“I had to accept the situation — the country had its rules. There are no grudges or bad feelings," he told The Athletic in a 2025 interview.
Perez led Rayo to the 2026 UEFA Conference League final, a loss to Crystal Palace. He attracted interest from England this summer — both Bournemouth and Palace were reported to be interested — before deciding on Villarreal as his next club.
Inigo Perez
Perez is in his first year as coach of Villarreal (Image: Getty Images)
His teams play in a similar style to Iraola. “Our idea is to win the ball back as soon as possible, and then to attack very quickly,” Perez told The Athletic.
“[Our goal is] for the opposition never to get comfortable on the pitch. That’s what I like at Rayo — high pressing, direct play, dynamic positions, structures, a kind of ordered chaos to create chances and score goals.”
Liverpool will be expected to get through the Champions League group stage as one of the top eight teams, having avoided some of the tougher landmines (like Real Madrid, PSG, and Bayern Munich) from Pot 1.
Last year, the Reds snuck into the top eight to enjoy passage directly into the Round of 16. Their, they faced Turkish champions Galatasaray and won 4-1 on aggregate.
Liverpool was eventually eliminated from the Champions League by PSG 4-0 in the quarterfinals. The year prior, the Parisian club knocked out the Reds in the Round of 16.