Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid UEFA Champions League group stage game scheduled to kick off at 21:00 later today is deemed to be the biggest football game of the night.
The two clubs are gradually becoming rivals in the Champions League due to how frequently they meet in the tournament, especially in recent years.
Recall that Liverpool and Atletico Madrid met last season in the round of 16. The Spanish side beat Liverpool home and away to kick the Premier League club out of the tournament.
However, this season seems to be different. Recall that Liverpool visited Atletico Madrid on October 19, 2021, for the first leg of this season’s UEFA Champions League group stage game. Liverpool beat their hosts 2-3.
The win cemented Liverpool’s place at the top of Group B with 9 points in 3 games. While Atletico Madrid made do with the second spot with 4 points in three games, the same points with 3rd placed Porto.
Luis Suarez returns to Anfield for Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid
Uruguayan forward, Luis Suarez will play in the presence of Liverpool fans at Anfield later tonight. This time around, he would play against the fans that used to adore him when he was their player.
Recall that Suarez played for Liverpool between 2011 and 2014. He scored 69 goals for Liverpool before he joined FC Barcelona in 2014.
The 34-year-old Uruguayan striker who joined Atletico Madrid ahead of the 2020-2021 season, has scored 8 goals for Atletico Madrid this season which means that he could break the hearts of Liverpool fans at Anfield later tonight.
Jurgen Klopp and Diego Simeone to continue their friendly fight
The Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid UEFA Champions League game at Anfield is another opportunity for coach Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool and coach Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid to reignite their tactical war.
Recall that ahead of the first leg of the Champions League group stage game, Klopp revealed that he does not like the defensive style of Atletico Madrid.
After the game which ended 2-3 in favor of Liverpool, Diego Simeone refused to shake hands with Klopp.
Ahead of today’s Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid return game, coach Simeone said he was reluctant to shake hands with Klopp out of emotions.
“As I explained after the game and I will say again now, I don’t shake hands after the game because emotions are usually different for both coaches,” Simeone said.
“In England, it is seen as being gentlemanly, but that’s an idea which I personally don’t share because I don’t like falseness and I follow my own feelings.
“I can’t comment on Klopp as a person as I don’t know him. But I do admire the magnificent coach this he is, I admire the great work he has done at all the clubs he’s worked at, but I don’t usually voice an opinion about how other teams play – never, because I have my own codes of conduct and we the coaches, between us, have to respect that that’s the way it is.”
🗣"If I would have known he doesn't do it then I wouldn't have even tried. I was waving and whatever that was really not necessary."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) November 3, 2021
Jurgen Klopp now understands that Diego Simeone will not shake his hand after the game and is completely fine with it pic.twitter.com/cBM6t9LLwg