Liverpool come back to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in Champions League opener

What the report says

Liverpool opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 home win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield, according to Al Jazeera’s match report published on 9 September 2026. Marcos Llorente put Atletico ahead early, but Liverpool responded before halftime through Dominik Szoboszlai and completed the comeback with Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half strike.

The report said the match also marked the first Champions League game in Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola’s tenure. It noted that Liverpool’s attack featured several expensive signings, including Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, with Barcola making his debut start. Barcola had chances to score but later went off with a calf problem, which could be a concern for the club if the injury proves significant.

Al Jazeera reported that Atletico were dangerous on the counterattack and briefly unsettled Liverpool after Alvarez created the opening goal for Llorente. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker made an important save from Alvarez, while Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak denied Barcola earlier in the game. Mac Allister’s winner came after he had recently voiced frustration over not receiving a new contract offer, adding an off-field storyline to the result.

The victory gave Liverpool an encouraging start in Europe, while Atletico left Anfield with another defeat after a difficult run of form. As a general matter, early Champions League results can shape momentum in the group stage and test squads already under pressure from domestic fixtures.