Liverpool opens up its Champions League season against Atletico Madrid at Anfield while facing a few familiar faces, as Andoni Iraola prepares for his first European game as new head coach
Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/2027 week 2 football match between Atletico Madrid and Villarreal CF at Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium. Final score; Atletico Madrid 2:2 Villarreal CF
Julian Alvarez will make the trip to Anfield(Image: © 2026 SOPA Images)
Atletico Madrid superstar Julian Alvarez will make the trip to Anfield to feature against Liverpool after he attempted to leave the club and force a move to Barcelona.
There had been tension between the player and the club before Atletico made it clear they would not be selling him to Barcelona. Alvarez has only featured from the bench in their first four games of the season, playing in their most recent 3-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao. But he may be set to start against Liverpool, having previously scored against the Reds twice during his time at Manchester City.
Diego Simone's team has dropped points in two of their last three games, drawing at home to Villarreal before being thumped by Bilbao, with Andoni Iraola looking to pick up a strong result in his first game under the lights at Anfield in the Champions League.
Atletico will be without a key player, though, winger Arnau Ortiz, due to an incident that occurred two years ago.
Ortiz was sent off while playing for Polish club Slask Wroclaw in a Conference League qualifier. He has not featured in a UCL game since then, meaning he'll serve his suspension in this game.
Liverpool is set to be without a few players, with Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa not included in their Champions League squad.
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone.
Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone(Image: Cesar Ortiz Gonzalez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley, and Geovani Leoni remain long-term absentees, with Joe Gomez still sidelined. Elsewhere, Bradley Barcola could make his Anfield debut after his big-money move from PSG.
Iraola said of Barcola: "Bradley hadn't played a single minute since the World Cup, so we needed to be careful.
"He is training well, in a good place, and I think that he has helped us. Probably, we haven't found him in a couple of situations where I think he was going against the 'keeper, but we haven't really seen his movements.
"He has had a very good counter, very good passing side. He was always a threat.
Bradley Barcola
Bradley Barcola could make his Anfield debut(Image: (Adam Davy/PA Wire))
"When he carries the ball, I think you can feel this threat and I'm happy because I think 30 minutes is going to be good for his fitness, for his build-up, and we will continue because now we play a lot of games, so he will have a chance to play more."
Atletico Madrid squad : Oblak, Musso, Esquivel, Romero, Hancko, Pubill, Le Normand, Dominguez, Martinez, Grimaldo, Llorente, Koke, Hjulmand, Barrios, Mendoza, Cardoso, Vargas, Castillo, Alvarez, David, Lee, Lookman, Simeone, Baena
Liverpool squad : Alisson, Mamardashvili, Woodman*, Jaros*, Van Dijk, Araujo, Jacquet, Gomez*, Frimpong*, Kerkez, Tsimikas, Chambers*, Mabaya*, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Nyoni, McConnell, Isak, Barcola, Gakpo, Munoz, Ngumoha, Koumas, Danns