Liverpool will be up against Atletico Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 tie on Wednesday.
A goal in the fourth minute boosted the chances of Diego Simeone’s men, who won 1-0, in the first leg of the encounter, at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on February 18, 2020.
Although Liverpool are highly-fancied to overturn the deficit when they welcome the Spanish side, the Reds coach, Jurgen Klopp, admitted that it would not be an easy task.
Defensively Compact Atletico
Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of the showdown at the Anfied, the German gaffer said Simeone’s men are a defensively compact side.
“Atletico defends you for the next six months without a rest,” the former Dortmund coach admitted.
Klopp, however, said his men would find a way to break the resilient Atleti side, adding that they will play a free-flowing football on Wednesday night.
He said his side needs to be “nearly perfect” to come out with a result against Atletico Madrid.
A History Of Comebacks
For Simeone, a one-goal advantage is not enough for his team going into the second leg tie, admitting that Liverpool have a history of comebacks.
In 2005, the Merseyside came from 3-0 goals down against AC Milan to lift the Champions League trophy.
Last season, they overturned a 3-0 first leg deficit against Barcelona, to reach the final of the Champions League.
And the Argentine coach agrees that a team with such history of “great comebacks” have lots of ways to hurt their opponents.
“They have had some historic results here [Anfield], turning matches around, great comebacks,” Simeone said in a pre-match press conference as quoted on the Liverpool website.
Liverpool Vs Atletico Madrid Team News
The English Premier League leaders have some cheering news ahead of the encounter with Atletico.
Club skipper, Jordan Henderson, is fit for the game after he got a hamstring injury in the reverse fixture in Spain.
Also, Andy Robertson, is available for selection after he missed out in the team’s victory over Bournemouth on Saturday in the domestic league.
But the 2004/2005 Champions League winners will play without Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker for the tie.
For Atletico, some of their players will be free for selection for the visit to the Anfied.
Hector Herrera, Kieran Trippier, Thomas Lemar, and Joao Felix who all missed out on the first leg of the fixture are back in the team.
Alvaro Morata is still a major doubt for the match but his fitness would be assessed ahead of the encounter.
Liverpool Vs Atletico Madrid Possible Lineup
Liverpool: Adrián; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mané
Altetico Madrid: Oblak; Trippier, Savić, Felipe, Renan Lodi; Saúl Ñíguez, Partey, Koke, Vitolo; João Félix, Correa
Liverpool Vs Atletico Champions League Fixture Time
The Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid second leg Round of 16 Champions League encounter will start from 09:00 pm (WAT/Nigeria time).
