Liverpool begin their Champions League campaign with Atletico Madrid visiting Anfield in gameweek one of the league phase. The Reds will have aspirations of reaching Madrid in next year’s final, eight years after their sixth European crown in a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Metropolitano. But after swapping in Andoni Iraola, a significant improvement is required after back-to-back champions Paris Saint-Germain dispatched them 4-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.Bradley Barcola made his debut in the 2-0 win at Ipswich last week, following a £125m move from PSG, and Alexander Isak is up and running with a quick-fire double providing the inspiration for the victory.Diego Simeone’s side lost in last year’s semi-finals to Arsenal in a tense tie, but the Julian Alvarez transfer saga has left a shadow over the beginning of their season after a move to Barcelona or Arsenal failed to materialise.The two sides faced each other in the same fixture last term, with a 3-2 win for the Reds providing the foundation to advance straight to the last 16 with a top-eight finish. Follow all of the latest from the clash with our live blog below:Liverpool 0-0 Atletico Madrid‘12: Wirtz wins the corner, plays it short... Szoboszlai is brought down by Romero in the box and there are screams for a penalty! Atletico counter and there’s discussion of an earlier foul in the build-up... play continues, however.(Reuters)Flo Clifford9 September 2026 20:14Liverpool 0-0 Atletico Madrid‘8: Simeone (the younger) lays the ball off to Alvarez but his low strike falls kindly for Alisson; now Isak has a run but it takes a deflection on its way to him and Oblak dives gratefully onto it. Easy for the keeper.Flo Clifford9 September 2026 20:12Liverpool 0-0 Atletico Madrid‘5: Liverpool are looking lively here. Wirtz and Isak play a one-two in the box but get crowded out before Mac Allister hits it with power but not a lot of precision, and the flag goes up for offside anyway. Flo Clifford9 September 2026 20:07Liverpool 0-0 Atletico Madrid‘3: One question is answered with Barcola on the right wing at the very start, in Mohamed Salah's old role.Richard Jolly at Anfield9 September 2026 20:05WIDE! Liverpool 0-0 Atletico Madrid‘1: Immediate intent shown by Liverpool as Szoboszlai steals the ball in midfield, drives up the park and lays it off for Isak, who whistles wide.Flo Clifford9 September 2026 20:03KICK-OFF: Liverpool v Atletico MadridAway we go at Anfield! Flo Clifford9 September 2026 20:03Before kick-off a moment of silence is held in memory of the victims of the horrific flooding disaster in Nepal.Flo Clifford9 September 2026 20:01Liverpool v Atletico MadridThe teams are out on the pitch, the Champions League anthem drowned out by boos...Flo Clifford9 September 2026 19:59Liverpool v Atletico MadridThese two teams met at the same stage last season and it got off to an explosive start as Liverpool were 2-0 up after six minutes. But it was tighter at the end of the night - Liverpool needing an injury-time goal from Virgil van Dijk to win - and Atletico actually went further in the competition, reaching the semi-finals.Richard Jolly9 September 2026 19:56Team news reminderLiverpool XI: Alisson, Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Barcola, Ngumoha, Wirtz, IsakAtletico Madrid XI: Oblak, Llorente, Hancko, Romero, Pubil, Barios, Koke, Simeone, Baena, Alvarez, LeeFlo Clifford9 September 2026 19:53