Liverpool Edge Atletico Madrid but Questions Persist After Champions League Opener

Following a summer of managerial changes and major spending across Europe, the opening league and European fixtures offered an early test of how the revamped teams might perform. Atletico Madrid’s visit to Liverpool on Wednesday appeared poised to provide some revealing answers, and the visitors looked capable of delivering them in the opening minutes.

Atletico broke through Liverpool’s defense with a single pass and took the lead after 17 minutes. The Reds, facing a potentially difficult start to their UEFA Champions League campaign, were immediately forced into a chasing role.

Julian Alvarez, still with Atletico after failing to complete his desired move to Barcelona, supplied the decisive pass before Marcos Llorente finished impressively from the edge of the penalty area. Yet the visitors rarely created comparable opportunities after going in front and ultimately failed to exploit their early advantage.

Llorente’s goal appeared to awaken Liverpool’s attack-heavy squad. Each side had recorded three shots before the opener, but Liverpool then seized control of the match, increasing their share of possession from roughly 35% to nearly 60% before halftime.

That shift set up Liverpool’s preferred imbalance, with their attacking strength offsetting concerns in defense. Ronald Araujo provided a backheel assist for Dominik Szoboszlai to level before halftime, while Alexis Mac Allister scored 10 minutes later and allowed the hosts to take control of the remainder of the game.

Liverpool did not always display the relentless intensity associated with coach Andoni Iraola’s preferred style, but they secured an unglamorous yet important three points. The performance also made one thing clear: Atletico were not equipped to challenge even an imperfect Liverpool side on this occasion.

The visitors faded as the match progressed and struggled to maintain their influence. After Llorente’s goal, they generated just 0.32 expected goals from six attempts, compared with Liverpool’s 1.39 from 11. Their limited output included a 29-minute spell without a single shot.

Atletico’s attackers also struggled to become involved. Alvarez produced roughly last season’s average of 49.7 touches and 3.1 Champions League shots per game, but the chances he created were far less threatening. His 0.23 expected goals was well below the 0.6 he averaged over the previous campaign.

Lee Kang-in managed just 0.02 expected goals combined with expected assists during 59 minutes, while Llorente’s standout contribution was his opening goal. Overall, that strike was perhaps the visitors’ only clear highlight.

The result need not define Atletico’s season. They still possess enough attacking talent to add more creativity over the course of their domestic and European campaign. Alvarez may also need time to recover from the emotional strain of a months-long transfer saga and the disappointment of losing the World Cup final. Ademola Lookman has already shown that he can contribute in Europe, while Jonathan David may require time to adapt following his late-window move from Juventus.

None of those possibilities materialized on Wednesday. Atletico failed to pose the central questions Liverpool had been expected to answer, leaving supporters to await further clues from their next match against Manchester City after the lengthy international break. The uncertainty remains just as pronounced for Atletico, whose unresolved issues stand in contrast to last season’s run to the semifinals.

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