Liverpool beats Atlético de Madrid and takes all three points

ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 09: On September 9, 2026, Liverpool FC hosted Atlético de Madrid at Anfield in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 Matchday 1. Llorente opened the scoring, but Szoboszlai and Mac Allister scored to see the English side take the three points. Player ratings were published after the match.

First half: Atléti's counter‑attacks

In the first half, the Spanish side, described as Atléti, proved lethal when counter‑attacking quickly. Julián Álvarez dropped deep, dribbled in the middle and delivered a through pass to Marcos Llorente, who beat Alisson one‑on‑one to open the scoring.

The match took place in September, under the evening light, and Anfield stadium in England resonated with the chants. The Getty Images photograph showed Jan Oblak looking dejected after the two goals.

Le and Al appear in the report as references to the team and to goalkeeper Alisson, respectively, highlighting the attention to detail in the narrative.

Liverpool imposes its dominance

In the second half, Dominik Szoboszlai received a back‑heel pass from Ronald Araújo and struck with precision, beating Jan Oblak and putting the score 2‑1 in Liverpool's favour.

Alexis, with his powerful shot, and Mac, alongside Allister, unleashed a long strike that found the net, sealing the home side's second goal.

Throughout the match, Liverpool dominated possession, while Atlético de Madrid barely held the ball for long periods.

Player ratings

The official ratings gave Jan Oblak a 5, despite his inability to prevent the goals, while Dominik Szoboszlai received a 4 and Alexis Mac Allister a 5 for their decisive performances. Atletico's goalkeeper Jan was left with no options against the shots.

Marcos Llorente earned the highest score with a 6, highlighting his runs and defensive work; Rodrigo Barrios added a 6.5 for his effectiveness in breaking the opponent's pressure; José Romero reached a 5 after five tackles and seven duels won. Each Player was evaluated according to his performance.

Despite the early lead, Atlético de Madrid could not hold on to the advantage and left with a 2‑1 defeat, while Liverpool took the three points and solidified their position in the league phase.