Team news
There’s one slight surprise in the Liverpool team, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain preferred to Fabinho. Atletico’s starting XI includes Kieran Trippier and the popular, equable Diego Costa. Popcorn, please!
Liverpool (4-3-3) Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Substitutes: Lonergan, Fabinho, Milner, Minamino, Lallana, Origi, Matip.
Atletico Madrid (4-4-2) Oblak; Trippier, Savic, Felipe, Renan Lodi; Koke, Saul Niguez, Thomas, Correa; Diego Costa, Joao Felix.
Substitutes: Adan, Gimenez, Morata, Lemar, Llorente, Carrasco, Vrsaljko.
Referee Danny Makkelie (Netherlands).
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The pyrotechnics have begun in the streets around Anfield …
The sky has turned red. Photograph: Jon Super/AP
But Simeone is in the building …
This man means business. Photograph: Michael Regan – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Liverpool’s attack versus Atletico Madrid’s defence. That, all things being equal, is how tonight’s match will pan out. Atletico won the first leg 1-0, the ideal score to set up a night of tension, drama and one-way traffic at Anfield.
Liverpool are the best team in Europe but Atletico are probably the best party-poopers in Europe. They will have not a solitary qualm about defending deep, wasting time, playing on the break and bantering Liverpool off for 90 minutes with you-know-what. If Atletico score one goal, Liverpool will need to get three against an accomplished and extremely experienced (sic) defence.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have had a recent blip – some people even used the word ‘crisis’, apparently with a straight face – but they have Jordan Henderson back to raise the intensity. They have never lost a two-legged European tie under Jurgen Klopp, and whatever happens they won’t go quietly.
Nor will Atletico. They live for chances like this, to stick one up the elite in a Champions League knockout tie. They did it to Barcelona and Chelsea in 2013-14, and to Barcelona and Bayern Munich two years later. That last victory, over Pep Guardiola’s Bayern, is their template for tonight.
Liverpool have plenty of templates to consult. From Juventus in 1965-66 to Barcelona in 2018-19, via Saint-Etienne, Auxerre and Borussia Dortmund, this club loves a second-leg Anfield comeback.
Kick off is at 8pm GMT.
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