Another Champions League season kicks off for Liverpool tonight under the lights at Anfield, as the Reds and captain Virgil van Dijk welcome Atletico Madrid to Merseyside for the start of the 2025-26 league phase. It’s a difficult opponent, but the goal is clear.
For a side like Liverpool, defending Premier League champions and one of the best in Europe already last season, the target is to win—and win convincingly. Opponents Atleti, though, are always a difficult task under manager Diego Simeone,
and tonight will likely be no different.
“We know it won’t be easy,” said Van Dijk. “You only need to look at tonight’s opponents. Atletico have been one of the best and most consistent teams around for many years now. They have a top manager, top players, and we need to be ready to work extremely hard.
“You don’t need me to tell you the wonderful memories Liverpool has created in the Champions League down the years, but the aim now is to create a few more in the coming weeks and months. That is an exciting prospect—the league-phase draw has thrown up some brilliant fixtures.
“Big games against top sides in amazing stadiums. How can you not be excited for that as a player? Your support has helped make a difference many times previously, and I hope that is the case again this evening. Let’s make Anfield the place no team in Europe will want to visit.”
Liverpool won their last two matches against Atleti, taking three points from both home and away games in the group phase of the 2021-22 edition. Before that, though, there was the difficult Round of 16 tie in 2019-20 that saw them fall 4-2 after extra time at Anfield.
