Andoni Iraola and Diego Simeone will be familiar with each other from their playing days as well as as coaches. Iraola debuted for Athletic Bilbao in 2003, which was the same time that Simeone returned to Atlético Madrid for his second stint as a player.
Iraola went on to play for Bilbao until 2015, but Simeone's second stint at Atletico lasted until just 2005. However, Simeone returned to the club as manager in 2011. Therefore, Iraola played against the side that Simeone managed.
The two then met as managers when Iraola was in charge of Rayo Vallecano. However, Iraola failed to beat Simeone in four La Liga meetings. He lost three and drew one, but the scorelines were tight: 1-2, 1-1, 0-1, and 2-0.
The draw was intriguing, with Radamel Falcao scoring against his former side. However, Álvaro Morata had already scored for Atletico. Iraola has developed a lot as a manager during his time at Bournemouth, which led to his appointment at Liverpool. Therefore, Simeone can expect a much tougher task from the man in the opposite dugout.
Andoni Iraola and Diego Simeone's styles do vary
Simeone is famous for his defensive approach to football. Out of possession, his side will set up in a low block, which will be key to Atletico keeping the likes of Alexander Isak quiet. Isak will be full of confidence after scoring a brace against Ipswich Town in the Premier League.
Atletico is very good on the counterattack too, which means that Liverpool's back line will need to be disciplined. Virgil van Dijk will need to organise the defence to make sure that the likes of Milos Kerkez only attack at the right times.
Julian Alvarez is only just being reintegrated into Atletico's lineup after trying to force a move to Barcelona over the summer. He only came on as a substitute in their last game, which was a 3-0 defeat to Iraola's old side, Bilbao. This was Atletico's first defeat of the season after wins over Malaga and Sevilla but a draw with Villarreal.
Iraola likes his side to press high, which could be nullified by Simeone's defensive system, which can change from a back four to a back five. The Liverpool manager is not obsessed with his team dominating possession, which allows his side to be more direct.
Liverpool will need to make home advantage count
We are still just three games into Iraola's tenure at Liverpool. There have been two 2-2 draws followed by a 2-0 win. There are no easy games in the Premier League, but a match with Atletico in the Champions League is a different challenge.
The Reds do have the home advantage, and this is always a huge boost on European nights. Last season, when the two sides met at this stage in the competition, Liverpool won 3-2 thanks to a late Van Dijk header.
Liverpool's side has changed a lot since that meeting, with a new manager in the dugout and losing the likes of Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konaté. Atletico has a different side too; Griezmann and Conor Gallagher are no longer at the club.
Simeone got a red card after Van Dijk scored his goal in added time. The passionate Argentine loves chaos, and this is what the match at Anfield could be tomorrow night.
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