Atlético v Liverpool facts

Liverpool return to the scene of last season's UEFA Champions League triumph as they visit Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their round of 16 tie.

• The contest brings together two sides with formidable recent knockout records in European football. Liverpool have reached the last two UEFA Champions League finals and are unbeaten in two-legged knockout ties under Jürgen Klopp; Atlético were UEFA Champions League runners-up in 2014 and 2016 and won the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago.

• The first leg will hold happy memories for Liverpool, who defeated Tottenham Hotspur in last season's final at Atlético's Estadio Metropolitano home.

• Both sides were made to wait until Matchday 6 before securing their last-16 places with 2-0 wins; Liverpool were victors at Salzburg to win Group E, while a home defeat of Lokomotiv Moskva meant Atlético finished second in Group D.

Previous meetings
• The teams have not met since the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League semi-finals, a tie Atlético won on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw. Diego Forlán got the only goal of the first game in Spain, Alberto Aquilani levelling the tie a minute before half-time in Liverpool. With no further goals the match went to extra time, Yossi Benayoun putting Liverpool in front on aggregate in the 95th minute only for Forlán to supply the decisive moment seven minutes later.

• Atlético went on to beat another English club, Fulham, in the final in Hamburg, Forlán getting both goals in a 2-1 win.

• The sides met for the first time in the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League group stage with both games ending 1-1, Simão scoring in the 83rd minute at the Vicente Calderón after Robbie Keane had given Liverpool a 14th-minute lead. At Anfield, a Steven Gerrard penalty five minutes into added time earned the home side a point, Maxi Rodríguez having put Atlético in front in the 37th minute.

• Liverpool went on to top Group D with 14 points and Atlético finished as runners-up on 12. Los Rojiblancos were knocked out by Porto on away goals in the last 16, while the Reds lost to Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

Form guide
Atlético 
• Atlético finished with ten points in this season's group stage, six behind Juventus. Having fought back from two goals down to draw with Juve on Matchday 1, Atlético then won 2-0 at Lokomotiv Moskva and 1-0 at home to Bayer Leverkusen only to lose 2-1 in Germany and 1-0 at Juve; a 2-0 defeat of Lokomotiv in Madrid on Matchday 6 nevertheless earned second place.

• Second in Spain in 2018/19, this is Atlético's tenth UEFA Champions League campaign and their eighth appearance in the knockout stages.

• Atleti also finished second in their section in 2018/19 and bowed out in the round of 16 after succumbing to a Juventus fightback (2-0 h, 0-3 a).

• The Spanish side have still won four of their six round of 16 ties, losing only the first – on away goals against Porto in 2008/09 – and the last. Their most recent win was a 4-2 aggregate defeat of Leverkusen in 2016/17 (4-2 a, 0-0 h).

• Last season's 2-0 first-leg win against Juventus extended Atlético's unbeaten run in home UEFA Champions League knockout matches to 13 (W8 D5), since a 3-2 loss to Ajax in the 1996/97 quarter-final second leg that sealed a 4-3 aggregate defeat.

• A 2-1 loss to Chelsea on Matchday 2 in 2017/18 is Atlético's only defeat in the last 25 European games in their own stadium (W20 D4).

• Despite defeats on Matchdays 4 and 5 this season, Atlético have lost only five of their last 28 matches in continental competition (W17 D6).

• Atlético's last meetings with an English club came in the 2017/18 UEFA Europa League semi-final, when they beat Arsenal 2-1 on aggregate (1-1 a, 1-0 h). They have been victorious in eight of their ten two-legged knockout contests against English teams, including the last four; only Derby County (1974/75 UEFA Cup) and Bolton Wanderers (2007/08 UEFA Cup) have eliminated them.

• At home Atlético have lost just once in 12 visits from English clubs (W7 D4) – that 2017 defeat against Chelsea in their first European game at the Estadio Metropolitano.

• The Rojiblancos have reached two UEFA Champions League and three UEFA Europa League finals in the last ten seasons.

Liverpool
• Liverpool won Group E with 13 points, one ahead of Napoli who were 2-0 winners against the holders on Matchday 1. The Reds won their next three matches, at home against Salzburg (4-3) and away (4-1) and home (2-1) against Genk, before being held 1-1 by Napoli at Anfield on Matchday 5. A 2-0 success at Salzburg proved enough to secure progress in first place.

• Last season, Jürgen Klopp's team beat Bayern München 3-1 away in the second leg of their round of 16 tie, going through by the same aggregate score, before ousting Porto 6-1 over two legs in the quarter-finals (2-0 h, 4-1 a). The journey looked to be over when the Reds went down 3-0 at Barcelona in the semi-final first leg, but two goals apiece from Georginio Wijnaldum and Divock Origi sealed a rousing second-leg turnaround, before Mohamed Salah and Origi secured the club's sixth European Cup with a 2-0 final defeat of Tottenham in Madrid.

• Those results mean Liverpool have won their last 11 two-legged European ties, qualifying included. Their last defeat was on penalties in the 2014/15 UEFA Europa League round of 32 against Beşiktaş (1-0 home, 0-1 away). They have not lost a knockout phase tie in the UEFA Champions League since Chelsea beat them 7-5 on aggregate in the 2008/09 quarter-finals.

• The remarkable comeback win against Barcelona in 2018/19 made it four wins out of four against Spanish clubs in two-legged European Cup knockout ties for Liverpool, whose overall aggregate record in knockout ties with Liga sides is W9 L2.

• That second-leg win against Barcelona was only Liverpool's second success in their last ten fixtures against Spanish clubs (D2 L6) – a sequence that also includes 3-1 losses under Klopp in the 2016 UEFA Europa League final to Sevilla and the 2018 UEFA Champions League final to Real Madrid.

• The 3-0 loss at Barcelona last season made it five games without a win away to Spanish sides (D1 L4), since Liverpool's 1-0 victory at Real Madrid in the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League round of 16, although their overall record in Spain is W7 D5 L6.

• Liverpool have won nine of their last 12 European fixtures (D2 L1) but have lost seven of their last 13 UEFA competition matches outside England.

• Premier League runners-up in 2018/19, this is Liverpool's third successive appearance in the round of 16 and eighth overall; their record is W6 L1. The sole defeat came against Benfica as holders in 2005/06.

• The Reds are unbeaten in eight UEFA Champions League round of 16 matches (W6 D2) and had kept seven consecutive clean sheets before conceding at Bayern last season. Their last defeat was a 1-0 loss at home to Barcelona in the 2006/07 second leg; they won that tie on away goals having triumphed 2-1 in Spain.

• Liverpool have already claimed European silverware this term, beating Chelsea 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul. They also won the FIFA Club World Cup in December, overcoming Flamengo 1-0 after extra time in the final.

Links and trivia
• Have played in England:
Kieran Trippier (Manchester City 1999–2011, Barnsley 2010–11 (loan), Burnley 2011–15, Tottenham 2015–19)
Stefan Savić (Manchester City 2011–12)
Álvaro Morata (Chelsea 2017–18)
Diego Costa (Chelsea 2014–17)

• Trippier played 90 minutes as Spurs lost 2-0 to Liverpool in last season's UEFA Champions League final at the Estadio Metropolitano.

• Have played in Spain:
Fabinho (Real Madrid 2012/13)
Adrián (Real Betis 1998–2013, Alcalá 2008 (loan), Utrera 2009 (loan))

• Have played together:
Stefan Savić & James Milner (Manchester City 2011–12)
Thomas Lemar & Fabinho (Monaco 2015–18)

• International team-mates:
Kieran Trippier & Jordan Henderson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana (England)
Renan Lodi & Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho (Brazil)
Šime Vrsaljko & Dejan Lovren (Croatia)
Yannick Carrasco & Divock Origi (Belgium)

Latest news

Atlético
• UEFA Champions League squad changes
In: Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Professional, loan)
Out: Sergio Camello, Mikel Carro (Castellón, loan), Iván Montoro, Alberto Salido (Arenas Getxo, loan), Óscar Castro

• Saúl Ñíguez made his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final, on Matchday 6. Álvaro Morata will reach the same mark when he next features.

• Stefan Savić has played 49 games in UEFA club competition.

• Atlético's victory on Matchday 6 started a five-game winning streak in which they scored at least twice in every game, and included a 3-2 victory against champions Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals on 9 January.

• Three days later, Atlético's winning streak ended as they drew 0-0 with local rivals Real Madrid in the Super Cup final, losing the subsequent penalty shoot-out 4-1.

• Diego Simeone's side have won only one game since, a 1-0 home victory against Granada on 8 February ending a five-match sequence without a victory (D2 L3). On Friday they drew 2-2 at Valencia, a game in which they led twice.

• The draw at Valencia extended Atlético's winless run before UEFA Champions League matches this season (D6 L1); they have drawn their last six Liga games before a European fixture.

• Atlético suffered a 2-1 extra-time elimination at third division side Cultural Leonesa in the last 32 of the Copa del Rey on 23 January.

• Héctor Herrera (unspecified) and João Félix (muscle) have not played since the goalless draw at home to Leganés on 26 January.

• Morata limped off early in the second half of a 1-0 Liga defeat at Real Madrid on 1 February, making his return as a second-half substitute on Friday.

• Diego Costa has been out since hernia surgery on 21 November.

• Kieran Trippier (hip) and José María Giménez (thigh) have not played since the Super Cup defeat by Real Madrid on 9 January, although the latter was an unused substitute at Valencia.

• Santiago Arias had been sidelined by an adductor problem since 23 January before playing 66 minutes on Friday.

Liverpool
• UEFA Champions League squad changes
In: Takumi Minamino (Salzburg)
Out: Sepp van den Berg

• James Milner has played 49 times in the UEFA Champions League, group stage to final.

• Jordan Henderson made his 50th appearance in UEFA club competition on Matchday 6.

• Liverpool were 1-0 winners at Norwich on Saturday thanks to Sadio Mané's late goal.

• That means the Reds have won 25 of their 26 Premier League matches this season, the exception a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on 20 October. That ended the Merseyside club's run of 17 successive Premier League victories, one short of Manchester City's top-flight record; they have won all 17 league matches since.

• The draw at United is therefore the only one of the Reds' last 35 league matches they have failed to win. They have scored two or more goals in 30 of those 35 games.

• Liverpool have scored in 35 successive Premier Legue games, fewer only than Arsenal (55 games, May 2001–November 2002) and Manchester United (36 games, December 2007–November 2008).

• The Reds have kept ten clean sheets in their last 11 league fixtures, the exception the 2-1 victory at Wolves on 23 January.

• Liverpool are unbeaten in 43 league fixtures (W38 D5), since a 2-1 loss at Manchester City on 3 January 2019. A 5-2 home win against Everton in the Merseyside derby on 4 December set a new record for the longest top-flight unbeaten run in the club's history.

• Liverpool have won their last 20 Premier League matches at Anfield; only once in English top-flight history has a team had a longer winning home streak, Liverpool themselves putting together 21 home victories between January and December 1972.

• The Reds are 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, the largest lead at the top in the history of the English top flight.

• The win at Norwich was Naby Keïta's 33rd Premier League match (W28 D5); no player has made more appearances in the competition without suffering a defeat.

• On 7 February Jürgen Klopp was named Premier League manager of the month for January, the third time in a row he has picked up the award and the fifth this season – a new competition record.

• Klopp signed a new Liverpool deal running to 2024 on 13 December, the same day James Milner also agreed a contract extension.

• On 17 December, a Liverpool team comprised of players from the club's Under-23 squad lost 5-0 at Aston Villa in the English League Cup quarter-finals.

• Liverpool's starting line-up for the replay against Shrewsbury in the last 32 of the FA Cup on 4 February had an average age of 19 years 102 days, the youngest in the club's history. An own goal gave them a 1-0 win; they will visit Chelsea in the next round on 3 March.

• Summer signing Harvey Elliott made his Liverpool debut in a 2-0 victory at MK Dons in the League Cup third round on 25 September; aged 16 years 174 days, he was the youngest player to start a game for Liverpool.

• Klopp's side claimed the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time in December, Roberto Firmino scoring an extra-time winner in a 1-0 final defeat of Brazilian side Flamengo on 21 December. Firmino had also scored the decisive goal as Mexican side Monterrey were beaten 2-1 in the semi-final three days earlier.

• Mané returned on Saturday having not played since limping off with a calf injury in the first half at Wolves on 23 January.

• Milner came on as a late substitute at Norwich, his first game since 5 January due to a thigh problem; Xherdan Shaqiri (out since 11 January, calf) has also been sidelined.

• Fabinho was out between 27 November and 19 January as a result of an injury to his left ankle sustained against Napoli on Matchday 5.

• Joël Matip made his first appearance since 20 October in the 2-2 FA Cup draw at Shrewsbury on 26 January after recovering from a knee injury.

• On 7 January, Mané was named CAF African Player of the Year, succeeding Mohamed Salah who won the prize in both 2017 and 2018.

• Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Andy Robertson and Mané were all voted into the UEFA.com Fans' Team of the Year for 2019.

• Van Dijk was named UEFA Men's Player of the Year for 2018/19 in Monaco on 29 August; the Dutchman also collected the Defender of the Season award, with Alisson taking the Goalkeeper's prize.

Official UEFA Champions League Man of the Match award introduced
UEFA will give out an official Man of the Match award after every UEFA Champions League knockout stage game to recognise the top performers in Europe's top club competition. UEFA Technical Observers at each UEFA Champions League game from the round of 16 on will decide who deserves the Man of the Match, with an official award being handed to the successful players after full-time in recognition of their roles in decisive moments, tactical maturity, creativity and inspiration, exceptional skill and fair play.