Commence Operation Anfield Exercise.
Liverpool have been here before. They will head back to their famous old stadium, against Spanish opposition, looking to turn around a deficit and keep their Champions League dreams alive.
The 12th man, they call it – and in three weeks’ time they will need it.
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Atletico Madrid certainly had theirs here. The Wanda Metropolitano Stadium holds beautiful memories for Liverpudlians, but this time it was against them, a bearpit desperate to see the European champions beaten and bloodied.
Diego Simeone, of course, played the role of ringleader. Saul Niguez, the on-field embodiment of Atleti’s manager, played the role of matchwinner. The Spain midfielder’s fourth-minute goal settled this Champions League last 16 first leg, and means Liverpool will have to do it the hard way if they are to hold on to the crown they clinched here last June.
The celebrations from the home fans at the final whistle told its own story. Atletico believe they have one foot in the quarter-finals. There was a lap of honour from Simeone and his players. Their fans stayed to greet them as heroes.
As for Liverpool, they left with heads bowed. This is an unfamiliar feeling for the Reds. Not since September had Jurgen Klopp’s senior squad tasted defeat. They don’t do losing, and they certainly don’t like it.
Klopp had warned them what to expect. “A results machine,” he called Atleti on the eve of this tie. Simeone’s side, he said, “squeeze everything and give nothing”. He knew what awaited his players.
His words were prophetic. Atletico landed an early blow and then sat back and absorbed everything Liverpool threw at them. This is a team that loves to defend, a team that prides itself on its toughness and its organisation. They bark and they bite, they scratch and they run and they fall and they shout, and few teams do it better.
In 12 previous home Champions League knockout games under Simeone, they’d conceded only twice, and they extended their run here. Liverpool huffed and they puffed, but the house remained secured. Klopp’s team failed to muster a single shot on target across the whole of the 90 minutes.
They ended the game ragged, annoyed with Szymon Marciniak, the Polish referee. Klopp was booked, railing at the fourth official as Atletico players tumbled and protested and broke up the flow of the game.
Liverpool’s rhythm was there at times. They penned the hosts back at times, but failed to find the killer touch. Atletico, with Felipe and Stefan Savic imperious at centre-back and Renan Lodl looking like a superstar in the making at left-back, stood firm each and every time.
Sadio Mane lasted just 45 minutes, taken off at the break for fear of a second yellow card. Mo Salah followed him off the field 18 minutes from time having headed Liverpool’s best chance of the night wide. Captain Jordan Henderson departed with an injury soon after. It was a night to frustrate and to nag and to annoy. One to forget, if you’re Klopp.
The damage is not irreparable. Liverpool have produced more dramatic comebacks than the one required this time, against more formidable opposition too.
But if we learned one thing here, it is that Klopp knows a challenge when he sees on. Atletico will give nothing for free, and Liverpool will need everything they’ve got when they get them back to Anfield. Certainly, more than they had here.
It’s set up to be another one of those nights. One when the 12th man could count for everything.
