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Liverpool get their 2026-27 Champions League campaign under way at home against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, in a repeat of last season’s opening League Phase meeting, which the Reds won 3-2 thanks to a stoppage-time header from Virgil van Dijk.

Andoni Iraola will oversee his first Champions League game since replacing Arne Slot and will be aiming to build on Liverpool’s first victory of the season. Liverpool’s opening spell under Iraola has been uneven, with successive 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest followed by Friday’s 2-0 win away at Ipswich Town, where Alexander Isak struck twice in the first nine minutes.

New £123m signing Bradley Barcola, a two-time Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain, could make his first start for Liverpool. Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, head into the contest after a 3-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao, which brought their unbeaten start to the La Liga season to an end, with Diego Simeone calling it “a real wake-up call.”

Date: Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Kick-off: 20:00 BST

Venue: Anfield

Referee: Davide Massa (ITA)

Last meeting: Liverpool 3-2 Atletico Madrid, 17 September 2025, Champions League (League Phase)

Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo have been omitted from Liverpool’s Champions League squad altogether, while Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni (both knee) are still unavailable because of injury. Joe Gomez is also a doubt due to a muscle problem, which means Virgil van Dijk and Jeremy Jacquet are expected to continue as the preferred centre-back partnership. New arrival Bradley Barcola is pushing to make his full debut on the wing, possibly in place of Victor Munoz, while Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz are also expected to feature in advanced roles.

Alexander Sorloth is likely to miss the game with a thigh injury, while Arnau Ortiz is still suspended after the red card he received during his loan spell at Slask Wroclaw in August 2024. Diego Simeone must decide on Julian Alvarez, who could come back into the starting XI after appearing as a substitute against Athletic Bilbao, while new signing Jonathan David is also in contention to start up front. Cristian Romero is hoping to make his full Atletico debut in central defence, and club captain Koke may return in midfield in place of either Morten Hjulmand or Pablo Barrios.

Liverpool have scored in each of their last nine competitive matches, finding the net at least twice in six of those games, since their Champions League elimination by eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in April. Iraola’s team drew their opening two Premier League matches before finally getting off the mark with victory at Ipswich in their most recent outing, and they have also won each of their last six League Phase meetings with Spanish opposition. Liverpool have recorded four clean sheets in their last five matches against Spanish teams in this competition.

Atletico Madrid’s unbeaten start to the campaign was halted by Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao, leaving them having let in six second-half goals across their last three matches. Even so, they have failed to score in only two of their last 24 League Phase or group-stage fixtures, and they have scored in four of their previous five trips to Anfield. Diego Simeone’s side have never beaten English opponents in the Champions League group stage or League Phase, having lost six and drawn four of their 10 previous such matches.

Liverpool predicted XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Gravenberch; Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak

Atletico Madrid predicted XI: Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Romero, Grimaldo; Koke, Hjulmand; Simeone, Baena, Lookman; David

The match will be shown live in the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, while streaming will be available through HBO Max.