Andoni Iraola offers his reaction to his Liverpool side's 2-1 Champions League triumph over Atletico Madrid at Anfield
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 9: Ronald Araujo of Liverpool and Andoni Iraola, Manager of Liverpool celebrate after winning the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1 match between Liverpool FC and Atletico de Madrid at Anfield on September 9, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Ronald Araujo and Andoni Iraola celebrate after Liverpool's Champions League win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield (Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Andoni Iraola was full of praise for Alexis Mac Allister and Ronald Araujo as he blamed himself for Liverpool falling behind in their 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid.
The Reds trailed to an early goal for Marcos Llorente, only for Araujo to set up Dominik Szoboszlai shortly before the interval. Mac Allister then scored a stunning winner to clinch a first home victory for the new Liverpool head coach.
Speaking after the game, Iraola admitted he had been caught out a little by Atletico’s change of formation as Diego Simeone’s side played a five-man defence.
But he was quick to praise his players for digging in to win, having had to make do with just a point in previous comebacks against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.
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“I think today I have to blame myself a little bit for the start of the game,” he said. “I think Atlético used a structure that they haven't used before this season, and it has cost us a little bit to match up properly.
“I think until we conceded the goal, we've had a couple of minutes where we've adjusted things and we matched up much better, and it was the moment where we've started playing better.
“Obviously, after half-time you have more time, everything was better set, and second half I think we were the best team.
“I think the team, the players, have shown big character, big character. And also the crowd has helped us massively in the second half.”
Iraola continued: “I'm happy today because we've faced a very tough situation starting the game, conceding the first goal, not having the plan very clear in terms of they've changed some things.
“So I think we've corrected quite well live, and this experience will help us for the next times. You know, we don't have like three years of experience where you can say: ‘You remember this one, we do pum-pum, and then you correct things’.
“No, here now you have to talk with a lot of players, you have to correct, and to get results and to go from behind and win the game.
“I think in four games, three times that we've come back somehow, I think it shows that players are pushing, are showing character, and now it's a matter, no, of getting everything like cleaner and sharper.”
Meanwhile, Iraola was full of praise for both Mac Allister and Araujo, having seen the former put in a statement performance after admitting his sadness at not yet being offered a new contract by the club ahead of facing Atletico.
“Yeah, lovely, lovely goal from Alexis,” he said. “Lovely goal from Dominik Szoboszlai. I think it's good also that midfielders can add goals, because we have midfielders that naturally, they are going to arrive to the box.
“Sometimes we are talking about structure - ‘keep your position’ - but it's inside them, for Ryan Gravenberch, for Dominik Szoboszlai, for Alexis Mac Allister, and it's good that we can also benefit offensively from those situations where they arrive to the box.”
Iraola continued: “I think he (Araujo) has been very, very good. The other day and he has been, I would say, even better today.
“He is defending really well his side and also sometimes, because he is a centre-back, we underrate his offensive side.
“He gives a great assist for Dominik Szoboszlai. He has made a couple of very good surges from his position.
“I am very happy with him. He has come with a willingness to show he belongs to this level and I hope we can keep him there because he is in a lovely place.”