Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid produced another memorable European night at Anfield, as the Reds came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory and give new manager Andoni Iraola his first Champions League win.
Marcos Llorente stunned the home crowd by putting Atletico Madrid ahead in the 17th minute, but Dominik Szoboszlai restored parity before half-time. Alexis Mac Allister then produced the decisive moment shortly after the restart, firing a superb left-footed strike beyond Jan Oblak to complete Liverpool’s comeback.
The result maintains Liverpool’s unbeaten start under Iraola, who has now overseen two Premier League draws, a league victory and a Champions League triumph.
Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid delivers another Anfield comeback
Liverpool once again found themselves chasing a game after conceding first, with Llorente continuing his extraordinary scoring record at Anfield.
The Atletico midfielder opened the scoring in the 17th minute after receiving Julian Alvarez’s pass and finishing beyond Alisson Becker.
It was another painful moment for Liverpool against a player who has developed an unusual relationship with the stadium.
Llorente scored twice at Anfield in 2020 when Atletico eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League, and five of his 10 Champions League goals have now been scored at the Merseyside venue.
Liverpool responded with increasing urgency, although Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak remained a significant obstacle.
Alisson also had to make an important save to deny Alvarez from distance, preventing the visitors from extending their advantage.
Eventually, Liverpool found their equaliser.
Szoboszlai restores belief before half-time
Liverpool’s equalizer came from an impressive piece of pressing and quick combination play. Milos Kerkez showed determination to win possession back, before Ronald Araujo produced a clever back-heel to release Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian midfielder made no mistake, finishing well to bring Liverpool level before the break.
That was Araujo’s first assist for Liverpool, adding another positive moment to his developing role at right-back after retaining his place following an impressive performance against Ipswich.
The equalizer changed the mood inside Anfield and gave Liverpool renewed belief heading into the second half.
There was also an opportunity for Florian Wirtz before the interval, but Oblak produced another important save to keep Atletico in the contest.
Mac Allister delivers the winning moment
Liverpool started the second half with greater attacking intent, and Mac Allister soon provided the decisive contribution.
Bradley Barcola had an excellent opportunity to put Liverpool ahead but fired wide in front of the Kop.
Just a minute later, Liverpool took the lead.
A loose ball fell kindly for Mac Allister, who struck a powerful left-footed effort beyond Oblak to make it 2-1.
The goal was particularly significant given the attention surrounding the Argentina international before kick-off.
Mac Allister had spoken candidly at a press conference on Tuesday about his disappointment that Liverpool had not offered him a new contract during the summer. The midfielder remains under contract until 2028, but his comments had placed him firmly in the spotlight.
He responded in the best possible way.
Rather than allowing the off-field discussion to dominate his evening, Mac Allister let his football do the talking, producing a stunning finish that ultimately decided the contest.
Barcola shows promise on Liverpool debut start
Another major talking point was Bradley Barcola’s first Liverpool start following his £123m move from Paris Saint-Germain.
The French winger showed flashes of his quality through sharp movement and intelligent touches, although he will be disappointed that he failed to convert his opportunity shortly before Liverpool’s winning goal.
Barcola was eventually replaced in the 60th minute after appearing to suffer from cramp.
There was no immediate indication that the issue was serious, but Liverpool were unwilling to take unnecessary risks with their expensive new arrival.
Alexander Isak also worked hard throughout the match and continued to become more involved in Iraola’s system. Although the Swedish striker missed an early opportunity, he was credited with the assist for Mac Allister’s winning goal.
Liverpool continue to adapt under Iraola
The victory was another encouraging sign for Iraola, particularly given the circumstances in which Liverpool found themselves.
For the third time in four matches, the Reds conceded the opening goal, but they again demonstrated the ability to respond.
The manager will still have defensive concerns to address, especially after Kerkez struggled to track Llorente for Atletico’s opener.
Virgil van Dijk was visibly frustrated by the lapse, although the Liverpool captain once again produced a commanding performance at the heart of the defence.
Jeremy Jacquet also continued to impress at centre-half, offering another indication that Liverpool may have a promising young defender developing within their ranks.
The greater positive, however, was the team’s resilience.
An important European night for Liverpool
The contest provided Iraola with his first Champions League victory and gave Liverpool an ideal start to their European campaign.
The comeback was not perfect, but the Reds showed character after falling behind and eventually found the quality required to turn the game around.
Szoboszlai’s equalizer restored momentum, while Mac Allister supplied the outstanding finish that secured the points.
Araujo’s contribution from right-back was another encouraging feature, while the performances of Isak, Barcola and Jacquet offered glimpses of what Liverpool’s evolving squad could become.
Liverpool’s next Champions League assignment will come away to LASK on October 14, but for now, Anfield can celebrate another European night that ended in victory.
For Iraola, it is a significant early milestone. For Mac Allister, it was the perfect response to a week of headlines. And for Liverpool, it was another comeback that suggests this new era may have plenty of fight in it.
