Liverpool and Atletico Madrid clash at Anfield in Champions League opener

Anfield is dressing up for another European night, and this time the visitor comes with a Spanish accent. Liverpool and Atletico Madrid open the Champions League league phase this Wednesday in a matchup that feels like a continental classic, even if neither side arrives in the table quite the way it would like.

The match is set for this Wednesday, September 9, at 4:00 PM (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay) and 2:00 PM (Ecuador, Colombia, Peru), streaming live for South America through Disney+'s Premium Plan. Both clubs know European nights all too well: these are teams that, no matter how they're faring domestically, seem to find another gear once the Champions League lights come on.

Isak and Baena, the storylines fans are excited about

On the home side, the big story remains Alexander Isak, last season's marquee signing, who has opened the campaign with three goals in three matches and has already claimed an undisputed spot in Andoni Iraola's attack. Alongside him, Cody Gakpo is living a very different reality than just a few months ago: he went from being on the verge of leaving the club to becoming a player who delivers goals and assists nonstop.

At Atletico, the name to watch is Alex Baena, who already has three goals to start the season and carries more and more weight in Diego Simeone's setup. Ademola Lookman looms as a constant threat down the flanks, and everyone is hoping Julian Alvarez shows his best form again after it was confirmed he'll keep wearing the red and white shirt.

How both teams arrive

Liverpool comes in riding the momentum of its first Premier League win of the season, a 2-0 rout of Ipswich Town, and now sits sixth with five points, a position that doesn't fully reflect the potential of a squad that looks like a contender in every competition it enters.

Atletico, on the other hand, is going through a rocky start in LaLiga. The club sits sixth with seven points from four matchdays and is still reeling from a 3-0 loss to Athletic Club, a defeat that raised questions inside the locker room and one Simeone will look to put behind him with a strong European performance.

The most recent meeting between the two sides is still fresh in fans' memories: in the 2025/26 Champions League league phase, Liverpool won 3-2 thanks to a last-gasp goal from Virgil van Dijk. Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah had put the home side ahead, but a brace from Marcos Llorente had Anfield on edge until the final whistle.

With that memory still fresh, the question hanging over the match is simple: can Atletico finally break the streak, or will Anfield once again prove an impenetrable fortress for Simeone's team?