Our 3️⃣ points after Liverpool beat Atlético in Madrid thriller | OneFootball

Liverpool emerged victorious from a thrilling game at the Wanda Metropolitano which had a bit of everything on Tuesday.

Here’s our analysis of a crazy night.

Sublime attacking play

We should begin on a positive note, because matches like this deserve to be celebrated.

Perhaps wary of how Diego Simeone’s Atlético like to control the tempo when they’re at home, Liverpool came flying out of the traps and found themselves 2-0 up with barely any time on the clock.

The first goal came from Mohamed Salah, a man who cannot stop scoring and has done so in nine consecutive matches now. Is he the best in the world? We’re saying yes.

And the second was a brilliant volley from Naby Keïta which wasn’t too dissimilar to the thunderbolt he scored against Crystal Palace last month.

But Atleti came roaring back and soon found themselves level thanks to the technical excellence of João Félix and Thomas Lemar, and the clinical finishing of Antoine Griezmann.

It was a top quality game of football and even the defeated home fans applauded their team off at the end. Rightly so.

Questionable defending

But as good as both sides were going forward, it wasn’t exactly a defensive masterclass.

Jan Oblak and Alisson in the respective goals were called into action far too often and despite his goal, Reds boss Jürgen Klopp hauled Keïta off at half-time for going to sleep on Atleti’s second.

Matches are always that bit more chaotic when the Guinea midfielder plays and though Liverpool were more solid with Fabinho in the holding role in the second half, they’re still a little too easy to play through at the moment and might have lost this game on another night.

Between 2018 and 2020, Liverpool’s success was built on a solid backline and they often won tight games by the odd goal.

They’re still doing that but they’ve now shipped six goals in the Premier League and five in the Champions League this season and if they’re going to win one of those trophies again, they’re going to have to tighten up.

Self-destruction

After getting it back to 2-2 in the first half, it looked like Atlético were the more likely team to go on and win this match.

But after his two-goal heroics, Griezmann then got himself stupidly sent off for a reckless high challenge on Roberto Firmino, and even he seemed to accept he had to go when the referee brandished the red card.

Even with 10 men the Rojiblancos played fearlessly, but the winning goal came courtesy of a clumsy challenge from Mario Hermoso in the box, and awarding a penalty was the easiest decision the referee had to make all night.

Perhaps they can feel slightly aggrieved that their own late penalty for Diogo Jota’s push on José Giménez was overturned but though you’ve seen them given, the Uruguayan also made a meal of the challenge.

Simeone will be proud of his side’s efforts and they were unfortunate to lose, but aim a gun at your foot and you’re asking for trouble.