Liverpool kick off their European campaign on Wednesday against Diego Simone’s ever-plucky Atletico Madrid.
Although the Spanish side haven’t begun the season how they would have liked, they’re still a threat and possess game-changing players.
Here are a few players (and one manager) from both sides to look out for as both teams look to secure their first Champions League points of the season.
Milos Kerkez
Perhaps for all the wrong reasons, Liverpool fans should be putting Milos Kerkez’s performance Wednesday under the microscope a little more than usual.
It’s no secret that he hasn’t been at his best in our handful of games so far, but how he responds to these performances will be interesting.
Andy Robertson came out this week as a voice of support to the young Hungarian, insisting we give him time, and we shall, but it’s worth keeping an eye on him to make sure he’s taking steps forward and not backwards.
Antoine Griezmann
With the untimely injury of Julian Alvarez on the weekend, it’s safe to assume that Atletico’s main route of attack will be Antoine Griezmann.
The evergreen Frenchman is absolutely in his golden years, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t got a few tricks up his sleeve still.
With 25 goal involvements in all competitions last year, he’s yet to find the back of the net this season.
A big player, for big moments, where better to get your scoring season underway than under the lights at Anfield on a European night?
If he isn’t the one putting the ball into the back of the net, you can safely assume he’ll be involved in some capacity in the majority of Atletico's chance creation.
Diego Simone
Atletico have been known for a certain brand of football for the last decade. A brand of football imposed by the tactical mind of Diego Simone.
He is the heart and soul of his team and he manages his teams like he used to play, with complete and all-consuming passion.
He’s instilled a mindset within Atletico where it looks like his players would go to war for him if he asked them to.
He’s a box office manager whose passion and aggression on the sidelines is always an entertaining watch. He’s never shy of the limelight, and you can’t think about Atletico without thinking of him.
He’s had success at Anfield in the past and made sure we all knew about it. If history were to repeat itself, I’m sure he wouldn’t hesitate for too long in telling us, or better yet, showing us exactly what he thinks.
Alexander Isak
You can’t make a Liverpool player list these days without having Alexander Isak mentioned somewhere along the line.
Arne Slot and the coaching staff of Liverpool and Sweden have managed Isak’s time extremely well in trying to get him fully ready as soon as possible.
He hasn’t kicked a ball in club football since the final game of last season for Newcastle, and there is every chance we will see him in action on Wednesday.
There are too many storylines here to track. How will he handle the record price tag? How will he handle his first European night at Anfield? How will he handle the constant chatter and scrutiny of every footballing move he makes?
One thing is for certain: it’s going to captivate Liverpool fans and neutrals alike. This is the most exciting and intriguing part of this match for me, and in all honesty, it can’t come quickly enough.