Atletico Madrid v Liverpool: Profile on LaLiga giants ahead of Champions League clash

Here, the PA news agency profiles the Spanish side ahead of the game at the Wanda Metropolitano.

How they got there

Atletico are mainstays of the Champions League and are competing in the competition for a seventh successive season, a period that includes final appearances in 2014 and 2016.

They have not reached the quarter-finals, however, since 2017. This time they reached the knockout stages by finishing second to Juventus in Group D. They lost two games during the group programme, away at Juve and Bayer Leverkusen.

Domestic form

After finishing second in LaLiga last season, Atleti are currently running fourth this time around, behind arch-rivals Real Madrid, champions Barcelona and surprise package Getafe.

Latest LaLiga table

In a tight battle for Champions League places, Sevilla, Villarreal, Valencia and Real Sociedad are within three points. Atletico also suffered a shock loss to third-tier Cultural Leonesa in the Copa del Rey in January. They go into the Liverpool tie after a 2-2 draw at Valencia on Friday.

Past meetings

The sides met in the Champions League group stages in 2008, with both games finishing 1-1.

They last faced each other in the Europa League semi-finals of 2010, with the Spanish side prevailing on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw. Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan scored the crucial goal in extra time.

Atleti have lost only one of their last 25 European games at home - to Chelsea in 2017 - but Liverpool, of course, have happy memories of the Wanda Metropolitano from last year's final.

Man at the helm