Virgil van Dijk’s dramatic stoppage-time header sealed a pulsating 3-2 victory for Liverpool over a resilient Atlético Madrid, extending the Reds’ perfect home record in European group/league matches to a remarkable 15 successive victories.
Arne Slot’s side, featuring a starting lineup without a single Englishman for the first time in a European match, started with a blistering pace. A free-kick from Mohamed Salah ricocheted off Andy Robertson and into the net in the fourth minute, marking the Scotsman’s first European goal in nearly six years. The Reds doubled their lead just two minutes later when Salah, following a superb give-and-go with Ryan Gravenberch, wove through the Atlético defense to score his 250th goal for an English club.
With the Reds seemingly cruising, a moment of confusion saw a penalty awarded to the home side for a supposed handball by Clement Lenglet, but a swift VAR review rightly overturned the decision. Liverpool had chances to add a third, with debutant Alexander Isak missing two opportunities. Atlético, however, were not without their own threat, and they duly capitalized on a defensive lapse just before halftime when Marcos Llorente halved the deficit with a fine finish.
The second half began with Liverpool fans fearing a repeat of their last home defeat to Atlético in 2020. Atlético pressed for an equalizer, and Llorente was on hand again to deliver, restoring parity with a volley that took a wicked deflection off Robertson. The goal sparked wild celebrations from the visiting side and manager Diego Simeone.
With the game seemingly headed for a draw, Liverpool’s relentless mentality shone through once more. In the 92nd minute, Dominik Szoboszlai delivered a precise corner, and Virgil van Dijk rose highest to power a header past Jan Oblak, sending Anfield into a frenzy. The goal led to a furious reaction from Simeone, who was sent off for his protestations, while Liverpool celebrated a hard-fought victory that once again proved their late-game heroics.
