PARK YOUR WORRIES and wrap yourself in an evening of loud and frantic normality.
It’s another European night at Anfield, as Liverpool bid to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Atletico Madrid.
It will be played in a full stadium, and while Liverpool are facing a pretty sturdy opponent without their first-choice goalkeeper, they do have a heck of a record to protect.
They have never lost a two-legged European tie under Jurgen Klopp, and he’s not lost a European game at Anfield since taking charge in 2015. Plus, the last time Liverpool had to over turn a first leg defeat to a Spanish team, it turned out pretty well…
Atleti come here stronger than they were in the first leg, and the tie is beautifully poised.
Kick off at Anfield is at 8pm, with team news to follow here. Get in touch with us below the line, or emailing gavincooney@the42.ie.
We’re not quite sure what’s on the horizon for us all, but we do have some certainty over the next couple of hours.
This game is on, it’s happening and it should be fantastic.
Let’s enjoy it.
Team News
Liverpool
Alisson is out with injury, so it’s time once again for Adrian to stand up and be counted. Jordan Henderson has recovered from the hamstring he twanged in the first leg to return to midfield, with Fabinho the fall-guy.
Andy Robertson returns having missed the league game at the weekend, while the front three reassemble.
🔴 TEAM NEWS 🔴
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 11, 2020
Our side to face @atleti 👊
Atletico Madrid
Atleti are boosted by the return of Kieran Trippier and Joao Felix, the latter the coronated European Wunderkid before Erling Haaland arrived on the scene.
And look! Diego Costa starts too.
[👥] 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐗𝐈 ⚡
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) March 11, 2020
⚽ #LFCAtleti
⭐ #UCL | 🔴⚪ #AúpaAtleti pic.twitter.com/3UfQzXvUQU
WWE star Seamus has turned up on BT Sport, asking Des Kelly how he combines the BT gig with life as Phibsboro’s most notable carpet magnate.
Okay, we’re going to mention this here and then concentrate on the football: but there are very real questions as to whether this game should be going ahead. Madrid has seen a surge in outbreaks in Covid-19, to the point that Simon Coveney has warned Irish citizens to avoid any non-essential travel to Madrid.
The other game tonight, PSG v Dortmund, is being played behind closed doors.
Jurgen Klopp and his players have made the Anfield crowd a critical part of this game from the conclusion of the game in Madrid, but nobody could have anticipated the fact that there’s a crowd there at all would be such a major talking point.
Given the Covid-19 outbreak, should this game be going ahead?
Poll Results:
Jurgen Klopp has issued Anfield a rallying call ahead of this one:
“The key word tonight will be ‘intensity’. Madrid will have it – we know this. So we must have higher intensity, in the positive sense, in all that we do.
“Our visitors’ supporters will be passionate and loud. Cool! We can be better if we are prepared to work for it. Our visitors’ players will be focused, prepared and hungry. Cool! We can be better if we are prepared to work for it.
“I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to leave any sense of ‘what if’ or even ‘what might be’ outside the stadium. In the stands and on the pitch we need to be in every moment. This is how you create special moments.
“Wanting something isn’t enough. Plenty will want something. We have proved already and we can prove again it’s about ‘doing’. It’s about doing the work and then getting the rewards. Anfield has been our biggest asset for such a long time and we never fall into the trap of thinking it just happens because tickets are sold and gates are opened.
On nights like this, the Anfield crowd is the ‘transfer’ that no other club can ever acquire, no matter how much they crave it. It can’t be copied or replicated. It’s special to us. It is ours and we must always cherish its positive impact.
“As always the message to the players and the crowd is very similar. Be yourselves, trust yourselves, embrace the joy of the moment and do your best.
“It’s all you can ever ask.”
Scenes earlier this evening, as the team bus was welcomed on its way to Anfield.
Anfield looks unusually packed 20 minutes ahead of kick off: a crowd either eager to respond to their manager… or just to be part of a crowd.
“Atletico can be annoying but we can be annoying too, we have to keep calm and play our football”, Klopp tells BT ahead of kick-off.
Yellow Peril
Three Liverpool players will miss the quarter final first leg if they are booked tonight: Andy Robertson, Joe Gomez and Sadio Mane. Jurgen Klopp is in a similiar situation, having been booked in the first leg.
Angel Correa is the only Atleti player in the same boat.
Well….
"Put your hands away you f***en idiots!" 🙅♂️
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) March 11, 2020
Jurgen Klopp is taking all the necessary precautions.#LIVATL #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/hKursOPr6a
You’ll Never Walk Alone now ringing around Anfield; a surge of noise that’s about to crash into the players as they walk out from the tunnel.
Ooohhh, this should be good.
The teams are now out, and we begin the customary drowning out of the Champions League anthem by the Liverpool fans.
There are no pre-game handshakes, and tonight’s referee is Danny Makkelie from the Netherlands.
A 15-second sight of goal for Costa! Felix slips him through, and he blasts into the side-netting.
That’s a wake-up call!
Salah is picked out on the left by Wijnaldum, but his cross for Firmino is flicked away by Savic.
Ferocious Liverpool pressure, as they win the ball back on the edge of the Atleti box, but Henderson’s first-time pass finds Wijnaldum in an offside position.
Alexander-Arnold whips a cross into the box and Wijnaldum’s glancing header is gathered by Oblak.
Liverpool at least now have more efforts on target than they had in the whole of the first leg.
Oxlade-Chamberlain charges down the right flank, but his pull-back finds a defender in black rather than an attacker in red.
Gomez concedes a cheap free kick by pushing Joao Felix in the back, and Liverpool have some defending to do. They couldn’t deal with the first set-piece of the first leg….
Atletico played it short before then crossing it for Tripper, who ran from deep and beat the offside trap. He steered his first-time cross into the side-netting, and Liverpool survive.
Mane wins the ball back and spreads it right, and with Alexander-Arnold on the overlap, Salah instead cuts inside on his left and curls a shot over the bar.
It is absolutely lashing rain at Anfield, as Jordan Henderson chunks a volley well wide.
Liverpool haven’t created anything clear-cut yet, but they are a lot sharper than they were in the first-leg, and there are a lot fewer misplaced passes. The weather is ugly: torrential, crooked rain in fierce winds.
Save Oblak!
Now Liverpool go close! They turn the screw and the ball breaks inside the box for Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose low shot for the corner is parried by Oblak, and Atleti scramble clear.
Atletico are so deep. They have a line of six on the edge of their own box, and nobody even as high up as the centre circle.
Van Dijk is forced to turn an Atletico hoik forward behind for a corner, as Correa had snuck in behind him.
Oh my, Felipe glances the corner wide at the near post. Take that as a warning, Liverpool.
Mane chases a lost cause into the corner and turns it into a corner, out off Savic.
The corner is cleared but Liverpool recycle, and Savic glances a header behind for another corner in front of Van Dijk.
Mane heads the corner goalward and it is blocked by Lodi. There’s a VAR check on a possible handball – but a penalty wasn’t given as it wasn’t a handball in a million years.
Costa invites derision, as he tosses the ball away as Felix is flagged for offside. He gets a stern talking-to by the referee, but no booking.
Oxlade-Chamberlain pulls he ball back to the edge of the box for Firmino, but his touch is sloppy and he loses possession. He’s the one Liverpool player yet to slip into the groove of this game.
Salah looks on it, however, and he forces another corner.
Felipe headed it clear, but Alexander-Arnold hoisted a return ball to the far post to Van Dijk, who heads the ball across the face of the goal and Costa thwacks the behind for yet another corner, which Atleti deal with.
It’s all Liverpool, but they haven’t created a whole lot yet.
Big goal in an empty ground in Paris: Neymar has scored to put PSG 1-0 up on the night and through on away goals, as it stands.
Felix goes flying into the air upon contact with Henderson and wins a free, to which the Liverpool skipper responds by bollocking Felix on the ground.
Firmino is off the pace, and he loses possession in midfield, and the move ends with Van Dijk clearing a header for a corner with Costa lurking behind him.
Liverpool deal with the corner, but their tenacity in challenges is being matched by Atletico.
Oblak saves again! Salah shunts Lodi off the ball on the right wing and squares it for Mane on the edge of the box, but his first-time shot is right at Oblak, who gathers at the second attempt.
What a save by Oblak!
Alexander-Arnold whips a first-time cross into the box and Firmino gets the slightest touch on it, but Oblak parries away!
Oblak then comes to clear Alexander-Arnold’s corner above Van Dijk, and Henderson catches Correa as Atletico bid to counter.
Oxlade-Chamberlain slides a delightful ball through for Salah, who wriggles away from one challenge only to see Savic poke the ball away for a corner. Pressure building…
Felipe has been terrific, and he heads two quick-fire Liverpool crosses away, the second almost on his goal-line!
Alexander-Arnold clatters into an inch-perfect tackle on Felix, and the crowd responds.
Mane wins the ball back, gives it away, wins it back again, and Oxlade-Chamberlain curls a long-range shot well wide.
GOOOAAAAALLLL! Liverpool 1-0 Atletico (Wijnaldum)
The pressure tells! Oxlade-Chamberlain, outstanding all night, picks a smart run all Saul, stands a cross back to the penalty spot where Wijnaldum heads the ball into the ground and then the net!
The tie is level!
Atletico were dropping deeper and deeper, to the point that Wijnaldum was totally unmarked on the penalty spot.
One minute added on, as Liverpool force a corner off Partey…
…Atletico hack clear and it’s half-time.
This is thrilling, physical, frantic stuff: but Liverpool have their goal and we are level on the time.
We’re off for some air, back in a few!
Wijnaldum finds Salah over the top with a gorgeous pass, but Salah curls a shot right at Oblak rather than picking a pass across the box.
We’ve seen this film before.
Another huge save by Oblak!
Oxlade-Chamberlain picks Mane out at the back post, and his volley is smothered by the ‘keeper.
Salah picks a passing lane for Oxlade-Chamberlain, and he rushes a shot that ends up in the Kop. He had more time than he realised, and didn’t need to shoot so early. Salah, Alexander-Arnold and Oxlade-Chamberlain are shredding Atleti down Liverpool’s right.
Oxlade-Chamberlain is having perhaps his best game for Liverpool. He skids a shot from distance along the ground and Oblak tips it behind for a corner, which Atleti clear.
Correa then fouls Mane on the left wing, and this is the kind of position that will interest Liverpool’s full-backs…
First change for Atleti: Diego Costa makes way for Marcos Llorente.
Costa kicks over the medical bag in annoyance, and it’s not exactly an attacking sub: a defensive midfielder for a striker. Correa is moving centrally, while Llorente is going to the right.
Costa went and Atleti finally fashioned a shot: Felix’ effort was right at Adrian, though.
Partey is pinged for a hand-ball on the edge of the Liverpool box, as the ball bounced of Salah. This is Alexander-Arnold territory…
Another huge save by Oblak!
Superb cross by Alexander-Arnold, and Firmino is at the back post but his connection is poor, which allows time for Oblak to flick it away!
Felix takes a pop that bounces off Adrian – it shouldn’t have – but he bravely dives at Correa’s feet to gather the rebound and atone for the error.
Felipe makes a critical interception: otherwise Oxlade-Chamberlain’s pull-back was heading right for Firmino five yards out from goal.
Saul intercept a Mane pass inside his own pass and….shoots. Adrian had it covered and it went wide anyway.
Atletico are definitely playing a bit higher since Llorente came on, and are begining to press Liverpool higher. The ground has fallen a bit quiet: Liverpool now have something to lose.
OFF THE BAR!
Liverpool so close! Sweeping play as Hednerson moves the ball to Salah on the right via Firmino, he jinked outside the defender and sees his cross headed into bar by Robertson!
Alexander-Arnold lets fly and Oblak saves, and Robertson’s follow up is blocked by Trippier!
After a few minutes respite, this is a scene from the Alamo again. For how much longer can Atletico survive?
Simeone is frantically waving at his players to get up the pitch, but they can’t. Now Oxlade-Chamberlain forces a corner off Lodi as he drives at the defence.
Joao Felix is back to head away Alexander-Arnold’s corner, and Atleti survive another minute.
Atletico finally get possession around the Liverpool box, but their are hounded by Liverpool and eventually Correa fouls Gomez and the move peters out.
Alexander-Arnold has a cross blocked, and then Partey is fouled by Firmino and Atleti are in no hurry to take the free-kick.
Saul tries the spectacular again – a volley from 25 yards – and it sails miles wide.
Atletico attack…and Liverpool counter! Mane swings a stunning ball into the area for Salah, but his control lets him down and Felipe thwacks it behind for a corner.
Robertson fires over!
Liverpool take the corner short and Alexander-Arnold then takes the return pass, squirts it across the area for Robertson, and he fires over!
First Liverpool change: Milner is on for Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Oxlade-Chamberlain was terrific, probably Liverpool’s best player. Milner is handy in the event of a shoot-out mind, which is presently where we’re headed…
Mane skies a bicycle kick!
Oh my, time seemed to stand still as Mane threw his legs in the air at a Wijnaldum header, but it flies just over the crossbar!
Felipe again cuts out a cross, this time a Robertson one that was headed right for Firmino in the area.
Salah goes close!
Twinkling feet bring Salah in from the wing and into the area, but he curls his shot into the Kop!
This is relentless from Liverpool.
Alexander-Arnold’s shot in the area is blocked and now he wins a corner. Mighty roar from Anfield, how much longer can Atletico live like this?
Mane puts another overhead kick into the stand! This time from Van Dijk’s kockdown. Atletico clinging on for extra-time…
Salah runs into Lodi in the box and then meets the ground, with the referee unmoved.
Mane rises and just misses Alexander-Arnold’s cross, and then Salah turns and shoots right at Oblak.
There are only two additional minutes.
Alexander-Arnold pushes Felix over on the left wing, and this will end with Atleti having a chance to test Liverpool with a Koke free-kick…
FT: Liverpool 1-0 Atletico
There’s full-time – we are heading for extra-time. Liverpool have been absurdly dominant, but have somehow only scored once.
It’s compelling stuff, we’ll be back in a jiffy!
We’re underway in extra-time!
Change for Atletico: Tripper – who was good – makes way for Sime Vrsaljko.
Wijnaldum is picked out with a clever pass by Alexander-Arnold, and his shot is blocked yet again by Oblak!
Wijnladum then stands a cross deep for Firmino, whose contact is minimal and the ball trickles wide.
GOOOOOALLLLL! Liverpool 2-0 Atletico Madrid
Firmino scores at Anfield for the first time this season! Wijnaldum crosses into the area for Firmino who heads onto the post, but the ball breaks back to him and he passes it into the net!
GOOOAAAAAAAALLL! Liverpool 2-1 Atletico (Llorente)
Oh my word. Adrian howler: he passes the ball right to Llorente, who curls home from the box! It’s a shocker from the replacement keeper, and now Liverpool either score before the end of extra-time or they are OUT.
Liverpool’s empire is built on Alisson. They’ve been let down by their goalkeeper on a big European night again. For Loris Karius against Real Madrid, see Adrian against their city rivals.
Liverpool have 20 minutes to score, but Anfield is pretty silent following that sucker punch.
Here’s the Adrian error. Eeeesh
ADRIÁN. 😬😬😬
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) March 11, 2020
Nightmare moment for Liverpool's stand-in keeper and Atlético are back in control!#LFCAtleti #UCL #VMSport pic.twitter.com/utQVupUKP4
Sorry, to those asking why Andy Lonergan is on the bench as Caoimhin Kelleher is injured.
GOOOALLLL! Liverpool 2-2 Atletico (Llorente)
Wow, Simeone is off down the touchline Liverpool fall apart!
A Liverpool attack breaks down and Atletico move forward, and Gomez backs off Llorente, and he curls a shot into the corner beyond Adrian!
HT in ET: Liverpool 2-2 Atletico
Liverpool must now score twice without conceding, which looks pretty unlikely at this point.
Their defence of this title is slipping, and it seems Atletico are heading to the last eight.
Fabinho and Origi are on for Liverpool, for Henderson and Wijnaldum.
Miracles needed at Anfield.
Jose Gimenez is on for Angel Correa: a centre-half for a striker. Liverpool have to score twice against a hell of a rearguard.
Savic heads a Mane cross into the air and Oblak gathers. He takes his time over the goal kick.
Firmino forces a corner and there’s a huge roar around Anfield. They need to score soon….
…but don’t from that set-piece. Atleti clear.
Mane takes a tumble in the box but the referee is unmoved. Atletico have 9 men in the box, Liverpool will struggle to find space to breathe in there…
Partey blocks a Firmino effort for a corner, and Alexander-Arnold’s corner is adjudged to have gone out before it landed on Van Dijk’s head. Anfield is pretty quiet, not a whole lot of belief in the ground at the moment.
The maths are getting worse for Liverpool.They have seven minutes and they need two goals.
Takumi Minamino comes on for Roberto Firmino.
Milner crosses but Van Dijk is penalised for a push. Liverpool are going nowhere fast, here, and look beaten. There’s zero atmosphere in the ground, too.
Origi forces a corner, but Saul heads clear. Liverpool switch play to Minamino, but Saul does brilliantly to win a challenge in the box with Van Dijk!
Koke taking his sweet time over a throw-in in the Liverpool half, and Morata wins a corner. Liverpool look gassed; this looks over.
Jimenez slides in on Salah and thwacks the ball clear, and Atletico are almost there.
GOOOALLLLL! Liverpool 2-3 Atletico
Morata seals it! He’s sent through one-on-one, and slides a shot beneath the hopeless Adrian, and Liverpool’s reign as European Champions is over.
FULL-TIME: Liverpool 2-3 Atletico Madrid
Liverpool’s reign as champions is over: they dominated the 90 minutes but didn’t score again until the fifth minute of extra time, at which point they imploded and conceded thrice.
Atleti march on, Liverpool bow out.
Thanks for following a thrilling game, stick with The42 for reaction.
Bye!
