Iraola delighted as Liverpool come from behind to win Champions League opener
Andoni Iraola said it was hard to ask for much more from his first Champions League match as Liverpool manager after his side came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 at Anfield.
Liverpool made a poor start against Diego Simeone’s side. Marcos Llorente gave Atletico the lead and continued his remarkable record at Anfield, scoring his fifth Champions League goal across three visits to the stadium.
The goal exposed Liverpool early, but Iraola’s team did not lose their composure. They gradually took more control of the match and found an equaliser before half-time through Dominik Szoboszlai.
Alexis Mac Allister then scored the winner in the second half to give Liverpool three points in their opening Champions League fixture.
For Iraola, it was a first experience of managing in Europe’s biggest club competition.
The Spaniard said the atmosphere at Anfield and his players’ response after falling behind made it a night he will remember.
“It’s hard to ask for much more,” Iraola said. “We showed great character, especially the players, after a difficult start, to do what they did in the second half.”
“I loved it. The atmosphere here was fantastic and I feel very lucky to experience this.”
Liverpool’s comeback kept their strong record in home Champions League openers intact. The Reds have never lost their first home match of a European Cup or Champions League campaign, and this win also gave Iraola a positive start in a competition where every early point can matter.
There was one concern during the second half when Bradley Barcola went off in the 60th minute. The summer signing from Paris Saint-Germain had made his first start of the season, but appeared to be struggling physically as Liverpool tried to protect their lead.
Iraola moved quickly to calm fears over a serious injury. He said Barcola had only suffered cramp after being pushed into action following a pre-season in which he had not played any minutes.
“It’s just cramp, especially with Bradley,” Iraola said. “We’re pushing him a little bit because he didn’t play a minute in pre-season.”
“We wanted him there, but in the end today we decided, okay, give us whatever you have.”
“That was all he could do. We’ll see how they recover for the next game because we play again in three days.”
Liverpool will need to assess Barcola carefully ahead of that next match, but Iraola’s update suggests the winger should avoid a prolonged absence.
The manager will be more than satisfied with the result. Liverpool recovered from a difficult opening, scored twice against a stubborn Atletico side and began their Champions League campaign with the kind of win that can build belief inside the squad.
