Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid betting tips: Champions League prediction, odds and line-ups

Liverpool begin their 2026-27 Champions League campaign against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday night, with both sides arriving with something to prove.

Andoni Iraola's Liverpool finally claimed their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory at Ipswich, while Atletico were beaten 3-0 by Athletic Club in their most recent outing. 

That makes Liverpool deserved favourites, but Diego Simeone's side remain a dangerous opponent with plenty of European experience.

Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid odds

Liverpool - 1.74

Draw - 4.10

Atletico Madrid - 4.60

Over 2.5 goals - 1.53

Under 2.5 goals - 2.46

BTTS Yes - 1.54

BTTS No - 2.37

Liverpool first to score - 1.56

Liverpool -1 handicap - 2.70

Odds supplied by 10bet and subject to change.

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Liverpool form and team news

Liverpool's opening weeks under Iraola have been mixed.

The Reds drew 2-2 with both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest before finally getting their first victory at Ipswich. 

Alexander Isak scored twice inside the opening nine minutes at Portman Road, while Cody Gakpo provided both assists.

That result should provide some momentum ahead of Iraola's first Champions League match as Liverpool boss.

There are still defensive concerns, however. 

Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable, while Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo were not included in Liverpool's Champions League squad. Joe Gomez is also a doubt.

New signing Bradley Barcola is fit enough to play more minutes after making his debut at Ipswich, although it remains unclear whether Iraola will immediately hand him a starting place.

Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Ronald Araujo, Jeremy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai; Bradley Barcola, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo; Alexander Isak.

Isak is the obvious player to watch after his brace at Ipswich. The striker has already scored three league goals this season and appears to be developing an increasingly productive relationship with Gakpo.

Atletico Madrid form and team news

Atletico's recent form is much less encouraging.

Simeone's side were beaten 3-0 by Athletic Club on Saturday, conceding twice shortly after half-time as their performance unravelled. 

Simeone admitted afterwards that his team lost the qualities they had shown during the opening period.

Alexander Sorloth is unavailable through injury, while Arnau Ortiz is suspended, leaving Atletico short of attacking options. 

Julian Alvarez is expected to feature after returning from illness, with Ademola Lookman and Kang-in Lee also providing attacking creativity.

Predicted Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Llorente, Marc Pubill, Cristian Romero, Dávid Hancko, Grimaldo; Morten Hjulmand, Pablo Barrios; Alex Baena, Ademola Lookman, Julian Alvarez.

Atletico's ability to frustrate Liverpool will be crucial. Simeone's sides are traditionally comfortable defending deep and forcing opponents to break them down, but the visitors must improve considerably from their defeat in Bilbao.

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Best bet: BTTS Yes @ 1.54

Liverpool are rightly favoured, but BTTS Yes at 1.54 appeals more than simply backing the home win.

The Reds have conceded in both of their previous home league matches this season, drawing 2-2 with Newcastle and 2-2 with Nottingham Forest, while Atletico possess enough individual quality to threaten a Liverpool defence still finding its feet under Iraola.

Liverpool's attacking numbers point in the other direction. Isak is in form, Gakpo has already supplied three assists, and Wirtz remains capable of unlocking a defence through the middle.

There is also plenty of recent evidence for goals in this fixture. Liverpool beat Atletico 3-2 at Anfield in last season's Champions League opener, with Van Dijk scoring a 92nd-minute winner. Liverpool have now won three of their last five European meetings with Simeone's side.

At 1.54, BTTS Yes therefore looks more attractive than the 1.74 available on Liverpool.

Alternative bet: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.53

Over 2.5 goals is almost identically priced and is another appealing option.

A 2-1 Liverpool victory lands both the BTTS and Over 2.5 selections, while Liverpool's attacking quality and Atletico's need to respond after their 3-0 defeat make another low-scoring Simeone masterclass less certain.

The market is already leaning towards goals, with Over 2.5 priced at 1.53 compared with 2.46 for Under 2.5.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid

Liverpool should have enough attacking quality to win their Champions League opener, particularly with Anfield providing the backdrop for Iraola's European debut.

Atletico's experience means this should not be straightforward, though, and Liverpool's defensive issues give Simeone's team a route into the game.

Opta's model gives Liverpool a 53% chance of victory, while Liverpool have never lost their opening European Cup/Champions League match at home, winning 10 and drawing two.

Best bets

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid

Best bet: BTTS Yes @ 1.54

Alternative: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.53

Match winner: Liverpool @ 1.74

Correct score: 2-1

Player to watch: Alexander Isak

The outright Liverpool price is reasonable rather than spectacular, but the combination of Liverpool's attacking improvement, Atletico's defensive vulnerability and the historical tendency for this fixture to produce drama makes the goals markets particularly appealing.

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