Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid: Champions League Kickoff at Anfield

Liverpool’s Champions League season finally kicks off on Wednesday night, and it does so under lights at Anfield against familiar, awkward opposition in Atletico Madrid. For Andoni Iraola, this is the first real European test of his new era – and he looks ready to shuffle the pack.

The Basque coach has wasted no time stamping his identity on this Liverpool side: high press, fast breaks, relentless running. That style demands energy. It also demands rotation.

Frimpong and Araujo in Iraola’s plans

After the win at Ipswich on Friday, Iraola dropped a clear hint. Jeremy Frimpong and Ronald Araujo, he said, will be needed from the start in certain games. Atletico at Anfield fits that description.

Frimpong, left out at Portman Road, will be eyeing an immediate recall. His pace and aggression down the flank suit a game that could be decided in transition, where one sprint can tilt the whole night.

Araujo, meanwhile, may be shifted inside. With Jeremy Jacquet still not fully up to 90-minute sharpness – substituted in Liverpool’s first two Premier League outings and visibly fading again at the weekend – the Uruguay international could step in alongside Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence. It would give Liverpool a more seasoned, battle-hardened pairing for a night when concentration and duels will decide everything.

Midfield shake-up on the cards

The engine room is unlikely to escape Iraola’s tinkering either. Alexis Mac Allister, who has carried a heavy load already, may make way, with Ryan Gravenberch primed to step back into the starting XI.

If that happens, the Dutchman would resume his partnership with Dominik Szoboszlai, a duo that offers vertical running, power and the kind of forward thrust Iraola craves. Behind them, between them, around them – the structure will matter against Atletico’s bite, but so will the ability to break lines quickly.

Trey Nyoni is another name pushing hard. The youngster has impressed from the bench this season, injecting freshness and composure in tight moments. A Champions League start at Anfield would be a bold call, but Iraola has already shown he is not afraid to trust youth if they fit his aggressive blueprint.

One thing is already clear: Wataru Endo will play no part. The Japan international has been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad, removing one option for deeper control in midfield. Victor Munoz, too, could be spared, with the staff wary of overloading him this early in the campaign.

Isak leads the line, Wirtz in the pocket

Up front, Alexander Isak will carry the responsibility. Rested just after the hour at Ipswich, the Swede had already done the damage there, scoring twice – his first brace in Liverpool colours. It felt like a statement performance. Now comes the chance to back it up on the biggest club stage.

The question is who supports him.

Cody Gakpo has started the season sharply, with one goal and three assists, and his burgeoning understanding with Isak has given Liverpool a new attacking axis. But with Iraola openly rotating and the schedule already tightening, the Dutchman is not guaranteed to keep his place.

Bradley Barcola and Rio Ngumoha are both in the frame to come in from the start. Barcola offers direct running and one-v-one threat, Ngumoha a more unpredictable, drifting style. Either would change the dynamic around Isak and test an Atletico back line that prefers structure and control.

Between the lines, Florian Wirtz is set to remain the key piece. Operating in the pocket, linking midfield and attack, the German playmaker is being groomed as Iraola’s central reference point – the man who turns pressure into chances, and half-spaces into damage. This is exactly the kind of night where that role can define a tie, never mind a group game.

Anfield, Atletico, a new manager, a new style, and a squad already being stretched and tested. Iraola has his plan. The real intrigue now is simple: which version of Liverpool will Europe meet first?