2026-27 UEFA Champions League: League Phase – Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid

Liverpool commence their 2026-27 UEFA Champions League campaign with a difficult test against Atletico Madrid.

Liverpool are looking to build upon their Quarter-Final run in last season’s edition, whilst Atletico will seek to try and reach the final this season – having reached the semi-final stage last season.

 

Team News

Liverpool have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 2-0 Premier League victory at Ipswich on Friday evening.

Federico Chiesa, Joe Gomez (both muscle), Giovanni Leoni (ACL), Conor Bradley (knee) and Hugo Ekitike (Achilles) remain absent.

Atletico Madrid will be without forward, Arnau Oritz as he serves a carryover one-match UEFA ban from a red card in August 2024, when he played for Poland’s Slask Wroclaw in an UEFA Conference League match against Switzerland’s St Gallen.

Alexander Sorloth is ruled out with a muscle injury.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Liverpool host Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday 9 September at 8pm BST, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Liverpool have lost two of their seven previous Champions League meetings against Atletico Madrid (W3, D2, L2).
• Atletico Madrid have won one of their four previous Champions League trips to Liverpool at Anfield (W1, D1, L2).
• All three of Alexis Mac Allister’s Champions League goals for Liverpool last season came at home in the league phase.
• Just four of Atletico Madrid’s 13 overall points in last season’s league phase came away from home (W1, D1, L2).

 

Prediction

Having clinically dispatched Ipswich with two early quick-fire goals from Alexander Isak, Liverpool will be pleased to be coming into this game with their first competitive win under Andoni Iraola under their belt, especially after a well-controlled second half when Ipswich dominated the latter stages.

Atletico Madrid meanwhile have made a solid start to their season but with no clean sheets in their last three matches and a 3-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, they surely will be keen to produce a strong reaction but their defence has to be much more solid.

Nevertheless I expect a tough test for both teams here and wouldn’t be surprised if both teams end up taking a point apiece.

Prediction: Liverpool 1-1 Atletico Madrid

Result: Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid