Ortiz's ban leaves Atletico Madrid short for Liverpool Champions League

Atletico Madrid will start their Champions League opening match at Liverpool without 24‑year‑old Arnau Ortiz, who is serving a one‑match ban after receiving a second yellow for dissent in August 2024. The suspension removes a promising attacking option from Diego Simeone’s squad for the Merseyside showdown.

Red card and ban

Getty images captured the moment Ortiz earned the dismissal while representing the Polish side Slask Wroclaw in a Conference League tie against Swiss outfit St Gallen. He entered the game in extra time after his side had fought back to 3‑3 on aggregate, was booked for diving and then received a second yellow for protesting the decision, a repeat of a League Phase contest from last year. Liverpool previously prevailed in that tie thanks to a Virgil van Dijk stoppage‑time winner.

Since that August 2024 incident, Ortiz has not featured in any European competition, and Slask Wroclaw were knocked out of the tournament, meaning the suspension carries over to his new club and will be served at Anfield.

Rise to the first team

The Spanish giants signed Ortiz for their second team in the summer of 2025, after he moved from Slask Wroclaw following a brief spell in Girona in 2024. After a prolific season with the B side – 23 goals and six assists – Simeone promoted him to the senior squad.

He has already made three LaLiga appearances, starting the 2‑0 victory over Malaga on the opening weekend and later coming off the bench against Sevilla and Athletic Club. Those performances hinted at a potential role in the upcoming European fixture.

Simeone now faces the loss of a player who could have added depth, a situation he described as a mixed bag at Anfield. With Ortiz unavailable, the manager will have to rely on other attacking options for the Liverpool clash.

Atletico will travel to Merseyside without Ortiz, while the Spanish midfielder serves his ban at Anfield. Simeone will need to adjust his line‑up, and the young forward will have to wait for his Champions League debut until the suspension is lifted.