Atletico Madrid vs Liverpool

FS: 2-3

Goals: Salah 8’, 78’ Keita 13’ Greizman 20’, 34’

Champions League

19th of October 2021

This is a fixture that is quickly developing into a continental grudge match, Atletico exited the Reds from last year’s competition in extra time heart break during a period that seen the Reds surrender their 44 match unbeaten run and an FA cup exit to Chelsea, so the exit hurt.

However, the nature of Simeona teams combine the dark arts with some scintillating football. Klopp is never shy to express his views of teams that play the win at all cost attitude particularly with the use of the darker arts.

Players such as Mane and Trent often seem vulnerable in these matches as they become targets to potential red card threats engineered by Simeone teams seeking to rebalance the competitive imbalance with a numerical advantage. 

It was ironic that Atletico entered the fray so distracted by the Simiones wind up tactic that they allowed the Reds to dominate the early exchanges, 15 mins in and a two goal advantage had been secured by a Salah strike and a subline Keita volley, this had the feeling of another Porto with the Reds playing around a hapless Atletico.

The entertainment value of Simeone antics pitch-side was worth the cost of watching the match alone. However, some questionable defending brought Atletico onto the Reds resulting in a corner which caught our Kieta and resulted in a clearly offside goal swinging the momentum back to the Spanish champions.

Shortly after another muddle with Keita and the ball was slipped into Greisman and the Frenchman converted superbly to square up the match.

Half time arrived and Klopp made the change to replace Kieta with Fabinio and the vulnerability was addressed. The game ebbed and flowed until Griesman raised his boot in an innoxious clash with Bobby Firminio and the ref produced a red card. It was obvious that the word from Simeone to his team was a draw had to be protected.

The game slowed the dark arts started to be employed, Klopp sensed the shift in tone and attitude and with drew both Trent and Mane, before he departed Trent hoofed the most agricultural ball into the area and for some inexplicable reason an on rushing Robinson was flattened, penalty, and Salah convert the spot kick.

This was not the end of the drama a late free kick brought the Spaniards to the edge of the Reds penalty box a great ball delivered across the defensive line lead to a coming together and the inevitable Oscar winning dive resulted in a penalty. The crowd, 10-man Atletico, and manager rejoiced only for VAR to raise doubts seeking the ref to review the decision via the pitch-side monitor.

As everyone held their breath no Red fan expected anything but an affirmation in this caldron of passion. So, when the ref drew the imaginary square and overturned his original decision Christmas seem to come early, I hope the German ref has no 2022 Spanish holiday plans. 

He game played out without much further drama and the Reds secured another victory to head one of the most difficult qualification group unbeaten. Simeone rushed down the tunnel without exchanges curtsey at the final whistle, you wonder if this guy will ever learn, Klopp was his usual class as he looked on bemused and in interview later excused his counterparts behaviour as frustration borne from disappointed. Sorry Jurgen rude is rude. Well done to the Reds and bring on United and the weekend trip to Old Trafford.

Categories: Uncategorized