LIVERPOOL have beaten ten-man Atletico Madrid in an epic Champions League clash.The Reds made a dream start with a deflected Mo Salah strike before Naby Keita doubled the lead with a stunning effort.
However Antoine Griezmann got the final touch on a shot from Thomas Lemar to pull a goal back for the hosts.
And he then made it 2-2 as he beat Virgil Van Dijk and smashed the ball past Alisson.
But the Frenchman’s night was cut dramatically short after he was given a straight red card for a high boot.
Atletico Madrid adapted well to going a man down but things went horribly wrong for them when Mario Hermoso needlessly took out Diogo Jota in the box and Salah netted the resulting penalty.
The hosts were then awarded a penalty of their own after a reckless-looking challenge from Diogo Jota, but a very controversial VAR review saw the decision overturned.
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SHAKE SHACK
Klopp also played down the lack of handshake from Simeone, saying the Atletico manager acted in the heat of the moment and the pair will shake hands when they see each other next.
A positive note to end on for the Liverpool manager after a very positive night for his team.
.Credit: Rex
KLOPP ON DISALLOWED PEN AND RED CARD
“I saw it and I think theirs wasn’t a penalty. I didn’t expect them to take it back but i think it was the right decision.
“The red card was unlucky but it was a red card with the foot in the face.
“It was a tough game. How you win it, I couldn’t care less. The dirty ones are the important ones.”
LIVERPOOL BOSS JURGEN KLOPP
“Tough game as we expected. We did surprisingly well in the beginning. We didn’t expect them that defensive. We scored two wonderful goals and played good football.
“Atletico aren’t bothered about not having possession. The first goal we could’ve defended better and the second goal, too, the gaps there were not right.
“We played a solid second half, had the penalty and red card in our favour and then it was game over.”
.Credit: AFP
BEAUTIFUL GAME
It’s been quite the night of action across the continent. It’s not just in Madrid that there’s been drama.
PSG have won with a Messi panenka penalty and a missed one from Mbappe.
Real Madrid and Man City have also both scored five away from home.
I need a lie down.
Club Brugge 1-5 Man CityBesiktas 1-4 SportingPSG 3-2 LeipzigAtletico 2-3 LiverpoolPorto 1-0 MilanAjax 4-0 DortmundShakhtar 0-5 Real MadridInter Milan 3-1 SheriffA quiet Champions League evening 😅#UCL pic.twitter.com/dBqDX1WnS7— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 19, 2021
GROUP B STANDINGS
Elsewhere in Group B tonight, Porto have beaten AC Milan 1-0 at the Dragao.
Liverpool are FIVE points clear of Atletico and Porto now and a win at home against Atletico in a fortnight will seal qualification with two games to spare.
You can’t ask for more than that.
SHAKE ON IT
A roar from the travelling Liverpool fans in the rafters behind one of the goals.
Van Dijk celebrates with his arms aloft. A massive three points for Liverpool.
Simeone runs straight down the tunnel and Klopp doesn’t look happy at the lack of a handshake.
Liverpool celebrate a massive result, and beaten Atletico players applaud their fans too.
Complete madness of a match.
FT: ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
THAT’S IT! IT’S OVER!
What a game. I don’t think I can remember one like this in a long time. It literally did have everything, and in the end it had a priceless win for Liverpool.
The performance wasn’t the best from the Reds but Klopp’s men have made it 3 from 3 to begin Group B and are well on their way to making it out of a tricky group.
Wonderful night of entertainment, and ultimately a wonderful night for Liverpool.
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
90, Suarez has more than a polite word or two to say to the referee completely out of the blue.
And it’s enough to earn him a yellow card against his former team.
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
90, Suarez tees it up to Correa on the edge of the area… but his shot sails over the bar.
Three Atletico players and Simeone as well all sink to their knees after that.
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
90, Neco Williams is on for Liverpool and Mo Salah is off.
Still almost five minutes to go in added time.
.Credit: Getty
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
90, SIX minutes of added time.
Liverpool are almost there. This would be a massive result.
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
86, Liverpool trying to keep the ball and play in Atletico’s half of the field.
There’s going to be plenty of stoppage time here and the Reds need to make the extra man count.
Can anyone else just see a 98th minute Suarez equaliser against his old team?
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
84, Jota has got away with that. He seemed to nudge Gimenez over even if the contact was very slight.
But 72 replays in slow motion later and the penalty has been chalked off.
Gomez on for Trent, in the meantime.
Whatever next?
.Credit: Getty
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
83, The referee has been told to go over and have a look on the screen.
And we’ve seen about 19 replays of this incident.
NO PENALTY!
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
81, PENALTY TO ATLETICO.
What on earth is going on? Jota has bundled over Gimenez and the referee points to the spot.
How clumsy and lazy from Jota and Suarez looks like he’s stepping up to take this.
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
80, Simeone has FOUR changes ready to be made in an attempt to get back into this. I’ve never seen that, but Suarez is on against his former side.
Suarez, Correa, Lodi and Llorente all on for Felix, Hermoso, Paul and Lemar.
Please don’t ask me what formation they’re going to play.
ATLETICO 2-3 LIVERPOOL
77, Cool, calm and collected from Salah, sending Oblak the wrong way after the Atletico goalkeeper kept him waiting an age in an attempt at mind games.
The same end he scored a penalty in the 2019 Champions League final.
Liverpool are back in front.
GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!
MO SALAHHHH SLOTS IT HOME! 3-2 to Liverpool.
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
76, PENALTY to Liverpool!!!
Hermoso has completely wiped out Jota from a long ball forward. No doubt about that. What is Hermoso doing?
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
74, Simeone is whipping the crowd up into a frenzy. He’s one of the best cheerleaders in the world.
He’s waiting to make some changes but the ball hasn’t gone out of play for ages.
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
68, Brilliant from Firmino to win the ball back high up the field, but the pass to Jota and timing of the run from the Portuguese both left a lot to be desired.
Should’ve done better there. That was a chance.
.Credit: Reuters
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
66, Oxlade-Chamberlain plays a one-two with Salah and fires in his shot, but it’s low and hard and straight at Oblak.
Classic case a moment ago of both teams calling for the other to put the ball out when they had a man down, but neither doing it. First Hermoso was down, then it was Fabinho, and play went on.
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
63, Changes for Liverpool as they look to press on and win this.
Jota has come on to replace Mane, and Oxlade-Chamberlain is thrown into the mix with Milner coming off.
Milner’s booking is probably something to do with that as well.
.Credit: Getty
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
58, Henderson into the path of Robertson… bus his shot is over.
I sat up nicely to be hit but always rising and over the bar.
Milner, meanwhile, has got himself a yellow card for an aerial clash with Trippier. Atletico players and fans wanted a bit more than yellow.
ATLETICO 2-2 LIVERPOOL
54, Griezmann makes his way down the tunnel. He looks devastated and good to see him check on Firmino.
Simeone and these fans are furious. Could that change the game?
Here it is…
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