Liverpool Receive Atletico Madrid Boost Ahead of Champions League Clash
Liverpool could receive a boost ahead of their Champions League meeting with Atlético Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday, with Diego Simeone’s side expected to be missing two attacking players.
Atlético are returning to Merseyside for the opening match of their European campaign, just as they did last season. Their previous visit ended in a dramatic 3–2 defeat, with Virgil van Dijk scoring a stoppage-time winner for Liverpool.
The upcoming fixture will also mark an important occasion for Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola, who is preparing for his first Champions League match as a manager.
Two Atlético attackers expected to miss the game
According to reports from Marca, Alexander Sørloth is unlikely to recover from his injury in time to feature against Liverpool.
The Spanish club will also be without Arnau Ortiz. The forward is suspended because of a red card he received while playing for Slask Wroclaw against St Gallen in the Conference League two years ago. The resulting European suspension has remained unserved because he has not played in a continental competition since.
Despite those absences, Atlético still have plenty of attacking options available to cause problems for Liverpool.
Atlético still have dangerous attacking options
Giuliano Simeone could provide a threat from the right side, while Alex Baena has already made an impressive start to the campaign, scoring three goals in his first four appearances.
Liverpool supporters will also be aware of the danger posed by Marcos Llorente. The midfielder has enjoyed previous visits to Anfield, scoring twice on each of his last two trips to Merseyside.
Atlético have had an inconsistent beginning to their domestic campaign, collecting seven points from their opening four matches before suffering a heavy 3–0 defeat away to Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Liverpool, meanwhile, boosted their confidence with a victory over Ipswich last Friday. However, the Reds also have attacking concerns of their own, with Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa currently unavailable through injury.
With this set to be the sixth Champions League meeting between the two clubs this decade, another competitive encounter is expected at Anfield. Liverpool will be hoping their attacking strength can help them secure another victory over Atlético and continue the positive momentum from their recent league win.
