THEY HAVE HAD to wait five years, but Liverpool are back in the Champions League thanks to last season’s runner-up finish in the Premier League.

The Reds have been grouped with Real Madrid, Basel and Ludogorets, and take on the Bulgarian outfit at Anfield this evening.

It’s the first night of this season’s group stages and here are the other games being contested:

Keep up-to-date with them all here.

Without Daniel Sturridge, Brendan Rodgers starts with Mario Balotelli while Raheem Sterling, rested in the defeat to Aston Villa, returns to the starting line-up.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Manquillo, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling, Balotelli.

Subs: Brad Jones, Jose Enrique, Toure, Lambert, Lucas, Borini, Suso.

Ludogorets: Borjan, Junior Caicara, Moti, Aleksandar Aleksandrov, Minev, Mihail Aleksandrov, Dyakov, Abel, Misidjan, Marcelinho, Bezjak.

Subs: Gospodinov, Fabio Espinho, Angulo, Dani Abalo, Zlatinski, Wanderson, Younes.

The return of the Champions League means the return of the Champions League theme tune, which is, quite literally, music to our ears. Need reminding of the lyrics? Here you are:

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Robbie Fowler, the man nicknamed ‘God’ by Liverpool fans, is here on duty with ITV alongside Paul Scholes, who believes they can by a ‘dark horse’ in the competition.

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On paper, this should be a home win. How do you see it going?

We’re up and running. Liverpool in their traditional all red, the visitors wearing all green with a with trim.

Ludogorets win an early free-kick 40 yards out from goal but it’s dealt with easily. Down the other end, Mario Balotelli then gets his first touches and wins Liverpool a free in the corner.

It’s Gerrard with the delivery but he fails to beat the man on the front post.

Coutinho closes down goalkeeper Milan Borjan but the Canadian international gets there first.

With Ludogorets’ first choice stopper Vladislav Stoyanov suspended reserve keeper Ivan Cvorovic unavailable due to a shoulder injury, Borjan was only brought in last week.

Cosmin Moti, whose heroics between the sticks against Steaua Bucharest earned the club their first appearance in the Champions League, is back in his normal position in the heart of the defence.

Alberto Moreno sets off on a storming run down the left flank and drives to the end line before whipping a ball across… but it’s over-hit.

Virgil Misidjan, nicknamed Vura, cuts inside and has a pop at goal. It’s on target but deflects behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.

Great chance for Liverpool. Balotelli makes some room for himself with a clever turn and, as he pulls the trigger, Aleksandrov throws himself in front of the ball to make a vital block.

At the half-hour mark,we’re still goalless here. There have been goals elsewhere, however.

Hulk scored the first of this season’s group stages for Andre Villas-Boas’ Zenit before Axel Witsel added a second to give them a 2-0 lead against 10-men Benfica, who have had their goalkeeper sent off.

Real Madrid hold a two-goal advantage of Basel thanks to an own-goal and Gareth Bale’s strike on 30 minutes. City rivals Athletico Madrid, meanwhile, trail Olympiacos 1-0.

Balotelli skips by a couple of challenges and makes room for a shot but it’s a routine save from Borjan.

They haven’t been creating an awful lot but Liverpool just put together a fine move which should result in a goal. Coutinho and Henderson combine to set up Lallana but the shot is blocked yards from the line.

From the resulting corner, Lovren heads over the bar.

Half-time: Liverpool 0-0 Ludogorets

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Other half-time scores:

This was just shown at half-time. Is it the greatest TV ad of all time? Quite possibly.

The second half is under way and Jordan Henderson has just seen his deflected shot collected by Borjan.

Henderson curls the ball into the path of Manquillo, who can’t keep his effort down from 10 yards out.

Bad news for Arsenal, who now trail Borussia Dortmund 2-0 after a goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Coutinho feeds Sterling, who cuts the ball back to a dangerous area. It’s slightly behind Balotelli though and gets cleared.

Frustrating times for Liverpool.

25 minutes on the clock and Rodgers is bringing on Fabio Borini and Lucas for Lallana and Coutinho.

Manquillo sends in a delightful cross and Borini, only on the field, forces Borjan to punch his header over.

Marcelinho slips a pass through to Bezjak and the Slovenian striker cracks the upright with his sidefooted effort. Best chance of the night and it has gone to the away side.

Oh, Jordan Henderson. Moreno finds the new Liverpool vice captain with a cross but he can only head the wrong side of the post.

GOAL! Liverpool 1-0 Ludogorets (Mario Balotelli 82′)

He has been indifferent on the night but Mario Balotelli has scored what could well be the winner.

Here’s the goal:

GOAL! Liverpool 1-1 Ludogorets (Dani Abalo 90′)

Disaster for the home team. Poor defending from Lovren allows Abalo in and he goes past the stranded Mignolet to score.

PENALTY TO LIVERPOOL…

GOAL! Liverpool 2-1 Ludogorets (Steven Gerrard 90′)

The Liverpool skipper strokes home a penalty after Borjan brings down Manquillo. Surely that’s the winner…?

Full-time: Liverpool 2-1 Ludogorets 

The performance left a lot to be desired but the Reds get out of jail in the dying moments.

Steven Gerrard with a fairly frank assessment at the final whistle: “We did okay. No more than okay. There’s a lot for myself and the lads to learn. We must do better.”