Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid: Iraola's European Challenge Begins
Liverpool’s new era under Iraola meets its first European stress test on Wednesday night, as Atletico Madrid arrive at Anfield and the Champions League campaign finally kicks into gear.
Iraola ready to shuffle the pack
The win at Ipswich on Friday gave Liverpool momentum. It also gave Andoni Iraola licence to rotate.
The Basque coach has already made it clear he will not flog the same XI every three days while demanding a ferocious press and lightning transitions. His message after Portman Road was pointed: Jeremy Frimpong and Ronald Araujo will be “needed from the start” in different games. Atletico at Anfield feels exactly like one of those nights.
Frimpong, left out at Ipswich, is pushing hard for a recall. His energy and direct running down the flank suit Iraola’s idea of suffocating opponents high up the pitch. Against an Atletico side that can sit deep and spring forward in an instant, his ability to stretch the game could be vital.
Araujo, meanwhile, may be asked to anchor the back line from the centre. With Jeremy Jacquet still not fully up to the physical demands of 90 minutes, the French defender has been substituted in both of Liverpool’s opening Premier League fixtures and was clearly running on fumes by the end of the weekend win. Araujo partnering Virgil van Dijk offers a more robust, battle-tested axis for the kind of attritional contest Atletico often drag you into.
Midfield reshuffle on the cards
The engine room is also braced for change. Alexis Mac Allister, a key figure domestically, is a candidate to drop out as Iraola manages minutes in a brutal early schedule.
Ryan Gravenberch stands ready to step in and revive his partnership with Dominik Szoboszlai. That duo gives Liverpool height, power and the ability to punch through lines with the ball at their feet – a useful blend against a compact Atletico block that rarely leaves space between the lines.
Trey Nyoni is another name edging closer to a European start. The youngster has impressed from the bench this season, showing composure and a willingness to receive the ball under pressure. Anfield on a Champions League night is a different kind of examination, but Iraola has already shown he is not afraid to trust youth if they fit the system.
One thing is clear: Wataru Endo will not be part of the rotation puzzle. The Japan international has been left out of Liverpool’s Champions League squad, removing one potential holding option from Iraola’s hand.
Isak leads the line, questions out wide
Up front, Alexander Isak is locked in. Rested just after the hour at Ipswich, the Swede still walked away with his first brace in Liverpool colours, a sharp reminder of his penalty-box instincts and calm finishing.
The intrigue lies around him.
Cody Gakpo has started the season in sparkling form, with one goal and three assists already hinting at a player thriving in Iraola’s aggressive set-up. His understanding with Isak is growing, the pair dovetailing smartly between the lines and in the channels.
But this is where the new manager’s ruthlessness comes in. Does he stick with Gakpo to nurture that burgeoning partnership on the biggest stage? Or does he twist, bringing in Bradley Barcola or Rio Ngumoha to add fresh legs and a different type of threat against a well-drilled Atletico defence?
Barcola offers directness and pace, ideal for attacking space behind a back line that occasionally steps up. Ngumoha brings unpredictability, the sort of one-v-one flair that can unpick a tight European tie with a single moment.
Wirtz in the spotlight
Behind the striker, Florian Wirtz has quietly become the central figure in Iraola’s blueprint. Operating in the pocket, he links midfield to attack, drifts into half-spaces and knits together the chaos of the press with the precision of the final pass.
This is the stage he was brought in for. A cagey, high-stakes Champions League night, with little room for error and even less space to think. If Liverpool are to hurt Atletico between the lines, Wirtz will likely be the one threading the needle.
Victor Munoz, another option in those advanced areas, could be held back, with suggestions he might be rested as Iraola balances the load across competitions.
Anfield will provide the noise. Atletico will bring the grit. Iraola has the tools. The question now is whether his first big European selection call as Liverpool manager turns a promising start into a statement.
