Atlético Madrid Faces Liverpool in Champions League Opener Amidst Injury Crisis
LIVERPOOL, England – September 16, 2025 – Atlético Madrid begins its UEFA Champions League campaign today against Liverpool at Anfield, but will do so with a considerably weakened squad. Manager diego “Cholo” Simeone addressed the media prior to the match, acknowledging the absence of several key players due to injury and illness. The match is available to stream live on Disney+ with a Premium Plan.
Atlético will be without Julián Álvarez (knee discomfort), Johnny Cardoso (ankle sprain), Álex Baena (recovery from appendicitis surgery), thiago Almada (muscle injury), and José María Giménez, who hasn’t played since June 20.
“There will be boys who will have the chance to play and it is always healthy and important to face an extraordinary rival, with a magnificent stadium, with a great hobby and with a coach who arrived last year and took the team to the highest level,” Simeone stated during the press conference. “We will have a very strong rival and we will try to take the game where we believe we can harm him.”
Simeone downplayed the impact of the numerous absences, stating, “it is not good that we are not with all the boys, especially because of the different situations… but it is part of this. We focus on the boys who are going to start, on the boys who will have the opportunity to play and show what thay have.”
He added, “When the game begins we will be eleven against eleven.”
The manager confirmed he was still deciding on a replacement for Johnny Cardoso, who was originally slated to play. Potential replacements include Koke, Marcos Llorente, and pablo Barrios.
Regarding Barrios, Simeone praised the young player: “Pablo is a fantastic player. He has a lot of present and an even greater future. He is growing in the final stretch of the game, where we need to be important in a goal and assistance danger zone.” He also noted Llorente’s versatility, saying, “Where we put Marcos surely will give the maximum because he is a footballer who has the potential to be able to participate in different places.”
