Latest Liverpool news ahead of their Champions League curtain-raiser against Atletico Madrid
Liverpool kickstart their 2025/26 Champions League campaign when Atletico Madrid visit Anfield on Wednesday. Arne Slot's side topped the league phase last season, having accumulated 24 points from a possible 24, but the Reds crashed out of the competition against eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.
After that disappointment and winning the Premier League title, Liverpool will be keen to have a deeper run in the Europe's elite club competition this time around. The Reds face Atletico, Real Madrid, PSV and Qarabag at home, with Galatasaray, Marseille, Eintracht Frankfurt and Inter Milan away.
First up is none other than Diego Simeone's Atletico, who have a mixed record at Anfield, winning one, drawing one and losing two of their four fixtures on Merseyside. Los Colchoneros have, however, made a disappointing start to their La Liga campaign, picking up just five points from a possible 12.
Therefore, the Reds will no doubt be confident going into the clash against Atletico - and the rest of the league phase - as they start their bid for a seventh Champions League crown.
Delivering his verdict ahead of Liverpool's European curtain-raiser this season, former Reds winger Steve McManaman believes Slot's side should be confident.
"Yeah you'd have to [fancy Liverpool to go through]," McManaman said. "The bigger games are [Real] Madrid, Atleti, but thankfully they've Qarabag at home so they don't have to travel as far, PSV who they played last year. You think they should win those games at Anfield.
"The away games are not that bad, I expect them to be difficult games. Inter Milan, they went to the San Siro last year so that's going to be challenging for them. Frankfurt is always difficult, Marseille is always hostile, but again you're always going to get difficult games but I think it could have been a lot worse.
"Liverpool have got a favourable draw. Teams like Arsenal have got a better draw on paper, but Liverpool will be fairly happy, you'd expect them teams."
There has been talk that Liverpool should prioritise the Champions League this season, due to winning the Premier League last campaign and failing to progress past the round of 16 in Europe's premier tournament.
However, McManaman doesn't think that the Reds should do that. "No, I don't think they should prioritise that at all. I think Liverpool were, if anything, the one team that ran PSG close last year," he added.
"They lost on penalties and that was just a one-off game. That is what happens in the Champions League and you need a bit of fortune here and there. But I think the Premier League is the most important one for Liverpool. They won it last year and they desperately want to win it again.
"Of course, if you can get the Champions League or another trophy alongside it, even better. But I certainly think, for me, the Premier League is the most important one at this moment in time. They were outstanding in the group stage but then you worry about it when it starts getting into February and March in the knockout stage."
The Reds have made an impressive start in the Premier League this season, winning each of their four matches. Although performances have not been perfect to say the least, Slot will be delighted that his side have accumulated 12 points from 12 and sit top of the league.
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Steve McManaman was speaking on behalf of bet365, the Official Global Partner of the UEFA Champions League. This season, bet365 will be once again running the Big Ticket Giveaway game giving fans the chance to win tickets to every single UEFA Champions League match starting with the Round 1 ballot which is opens on August 31.