Simeone has history at Anfield, and he knows it

Diego Simeone is not a man who needs reminding about what Anfield can do to a visiting side. His Atletico Madrid were two goals down inside six minutes in last season's Champions League meeting here, and though they clawed their way back to level terms, a late Virgil van Dijk header sent them home empty-handed. For all his experience, almost 15 years in the Atletico dugout, that night clearly left a mark.

So when Simeone talks about Wednesday's rematch, there is a sharpness to his words that goes beyond routine pre-match caution. "We are coming into a marvellous stadium, a great atmosphere, we have to look at the start of the game as it will be full on," he said. He also made clear that Atletico's chastening 3-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend was not a spur, it was a warning. "I don't think it has been motivation what happened to us in Bilbao, it was a lack of awareness, switching off." He is not dressing it up. He knows exactly what switching off at Anfield costs you.

A depleted attack and an Alvarez question mark

Atletico arrive with genuine problems in front of goal. Alexander Sorloth is absent through injury, and Jonathan David, who only arrived on loan from Juventus in the final days of the transfer window, has yet to feature for the club. Then there is Julian Alvarez, who attempted to force through a move to Barcelona during the summer and is still working his way back to full fitness as a result.

Simeone was measured on Alvarez's prospects of starting: "Julian is getting better, I don't see he could start tomorrow but I am sure he could help at some point in the game." That is not exactly a ringing endorsement of Atletico's attacking options heading into a hostile Anfield on a European night. Liverpool's defence will take note.

Simeone's verdict on Iraola: respectful, and a little pointed

Perhaps the most intriguing element of Simeone's press conference was his assessment of Andoni Iraola, who takes charge of his first Champions League match as a manager on Wednesday evening. Simeone acknowledged that a new head coach carries a natural energy into a club, something he himself cannot replicate after nearly a decade and a half in his role. "When you go to a new team you always have great excitement and it is true that he is getting that across to the players and it is true he has that advantage over me," he said.

But it was not simply flattery. Simeone clearly respects what Iraola is building. "He is a really important coach and he has that clarity in terms of what he wants and I am sure he will get that across to his players," he added. Coming from a manager of Simeone's standing, that carries genuine weight. Liverpool supporters will feel it too, there is something about hearing a rival of his calibre speak that way about your new head coach that settles the nerves a little.

Final at the Metropolitano adds another layer

There is one more dimension to this tie that neither side can ignore. The Champions League final this season will be staged at Atletico's own Metropolitano, the same venue where Liverpool lifted their sixth European Cup back in 2019. For Atletico, having reached the semi-finals last season only to be knocked out by eventual finalists Arsenal, the proximity of the trophy to their own backyard will sharpen everything.

"For the club it is very important that the final is played in the Metropolitano," Simeone said. "For us we have to work a great deal if we can begin to hope to be in that privileged position." He spoke of a club still in a construction phase, settling new arrivals and managing the Alvarez situation. That sense of transition on their side only makes Liverpool's position feel stronger, but Simeone has built careers out of proving people wrong, and Wednesday night is just the start of what could be a very long European campaign.