Two familiar foes collide on Merseyside as Liverpool welcome Atlético Madrid to Anfield in one of the standout clashes of the opening week of the Champions League group stage.
The Reds kept their flawless Premier League start intact at the weekend, edging Burnley 1-0 thanks to Mohamed Salah’s nerveless late penalty. Arne Slot’s side had to dig deep at Turf Moor, but the result preserved their 100% domestic record heading into European duty.
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Atlético, meanwhile, arrive buoyed by a 2-0 triumph over Villarreal in LaLiga, though Diego Simeone’s men have not quite hit their stride in the early weeks of the campaign. The Spanish giants will need something out of the ordinary if they are to silence Anfield and trouble a Liverpool outfit brimming with confidence.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the weekly schedule.
Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Champions League match in Australia:
TV channel: n/a
Live stream: Stan Sport
This game is not available on free-to-air TV. Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid is available for live stream, exclusively on Stan Sport.
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What time does Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid kick off?
This Champions League clash takes place at Anfield in Liverpool, England, and kicks off on Wednesday, September 17 at 8:00 p.m. (BST) local time.
Here's how that time translates across Australia:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Australian Eastern Standard Time | Thursday, September 18 | 5:00 a.m. |
| Australian Central Standard Time | Thursday, September 18 | 4:30 a.m. |
| Australian Western Standard Time | Thursday, September 18 | 3:00 a.m. |
Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid lineups, team news
Supporters who had hoped to see Alexander Isak make his Liverpool bow at Burnley were left disappointed, but Slot has since confirmed that the club’s £125m summer signing will be included in the squad for Wednesday. A place in the starting XI, however, looks improbable.
The same applies to Alexis Mac Allister, who was withdrawn at half-time against Burnley after a heavy challenge, with the Argentine’s minutes carefully managed.
Curtis Jones remains unavailable, which could see Dominik Szoboszlai revert from his makeshift right-back role into midfield, freeing Jeremie Frimpong to return to the defense. Federico Chiesa, notably, has been omitted from the Reds’ European squad.
Liverpool predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Alisson (GK) — Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson — Gravenberch, Szoboszlai — Salah, Wirtz, Gakpo — Ekitike.
Injured: Isak (doubt), Mac Allister (ankle), Jones (knock), Bajcetic (hamsting).
Suspended: N/A
Simeone’s selection headache deepened in their Villarreal victory, when Julian Alvarez, Rodrigo de Paul Gonzalez, Robin Le Normand, and David Hancko all limped off. Hancko’s ankle issue appears the most concerning, while the other trio are hopeful of recovering from fatigue-related problems in time for midweek. Still, their involvement hangs in the balance.
Atletico are already without Jose Gimenez and Thiago Almada (both calf injuries), as well as Alex Baena (adductor). Should Gonzalez fail to recover, Conor Gallagher is expected to slot into the left side of Simeone’s familiar 4-4-2.
Atletico Madrid predicted starting XI (4-4-2, right to left): Oblak (GK) — Llorente, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri — Simeone, Barrios, Koke, Gallagher — Griezmann, Sorloth.
Injured: Baena (muscle), Hancko (sprained ankle), Gimenez (muscle), Alvarez (knee), Gonzalez (muscle), Le Normand (back), Almada (doubt).
Suspended: N/A
Champions League fixture schedule this week
Wednesday, September 17
- Union SG def PSV Eindhoven, 3-1
- Arsenal def. Athletic Bilbao, 2-0
- Qarabag FK def. Benfica, 3-2
- Juventus draw. Borussia Dortmund, 4-4
- Real Madrid def. Marseille, 2-1
- Tottenham Hotspur def. Villarreal, 2-0
Thursday, September 18
- Olympiacos vs. Pafos FC (2:45 a.m. AEST)
- Slavia Prague vs. FK Bodø/Glimt (2:45 a.m. AEST)
- Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid (5 a.m. AEST)
- Ajax vs. Inter Milan (5 a.m. AEST)
- Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea (5 a.m. AEST)
- PSG vs. Atalanta (5 a.m. AEST)
Friday, September 19
- Club Brugge vs. AS Monaco (2:45 a.m. AEST)
- FC Copenhagen vs. Bayer Leverkusen (2:45 a.m. AEST)
- Newcastle United vs. Barcelona (5 a.m. AEST)
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Galatasaray (5 a.m. AEST)
- Manchester City vs. Napoli (5 a.m. AEST)
- Sporting CP vs. Kairat (5 a.m. AEST)