Liverpool find themselves in a precarious position as they head to Italy to face Atalanta in the Europa League quarter-final second leg. After a disappointing 3-0 loss at Anfield, Liverpool’s hopes of progressing in the competition hang by a thread. However, the Reds have shown their ability to overcome adversity in the past, and they will need to produce another European miracle if they are to have any chance of advancing.
While this comeback wouldn’t be on the same level as their famous Champions League triumph against Barcelona in 2019, it would still be a memorable achievement. Liverpool’s lifeless performance in the first leg caught many by surprise, but they remain the superior team and must believe in their ability to stage a stunning comeback. An early goal for Liverpool could create nervousness for Atalanta, but conceding an opener would effectively end the tie.
Liverpool received some encouragement from Atalanta’s slip-up on Monday, as they blew a 2-0 lead at home and dropped crucial points in the top-four battle in Serie A. The hope is that Atalanta’s legs are weary from playing 24 hours later than Liverpool, giving the Reds an opportunity to take advantage.
In terms of injuries, Liverpool continue to suffer new setbacks. Conor Bradley will be unavailable for Thursday’s game due to an ankle injury, and he is expected to be out for the next three weeks. The focus now is on getting key players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota back into peak form. Joel Matip, Thiago, and Ben Doak are still out and may not feature again this season.
Manager Jurgen Klopp will likely make changes to the starting lineup against Atalanta, with one eye on their upcoming Premier League match against Fulham. Some players may be axed following their poor performances, such as Ibrahima Konate, who could be replaced by Jarell Quansah. Midfielders Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister may also be given a rest, with Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch potential replacements.
It will be interesting to see how Atalanta line up against Liverpool, as they named an unchanged starting lineup in their previous match. However, Atalanta lacks the depth that Liverpool possesses, so changes may be more risky for them. There are no fresh injury concerns for Atalanta, which puts them in an enviable position.
Unfortunately, there will be fewer than 1,000 away fans present at the Gewiss Stadium in Italy due to restrictions. Atalanta’s stadium is currently undergoing construction work, limiting its capacity to 16,000. Additionally, Liverpool takes a significant number of tickets for family, staff, and sponsors, further reducing the available allocation for away fans.
Liverpool faces an uphill battle in the second leg, as they have a poor record of second-leg away comebacks. In European competition, they have lost four first-leg ties at Anfield and failed to progress from any of them. They have also lost both legs of a knockout tie on eight occasions throughout their history.
Darwin Nunez, despite facing criticism lately, could play a pivotal role for Liverpool. If he scores against Atalanta, he will join some illustrious company in Liverpool’s history. Nunez has scored nine goals in 17 European appearances for the club, and the fastest players to reach 10 goals for Liverpool in Europe are Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Robbie Fowler, and Roger Hunt.
The referee for the match will be Francois Letexier, who previously officiated a 1-1 draw for Liverpool against Midtjylland in the 2020/21 season. Letexier only showed one yellow card to a Liverpool player in that match.
Fans can follow the match live on TNT Sports 1, with kickoff at 8pm. Sam Millne will be providing a matchday live blog on TIA, guiding fans through Liverpool’s latest European epic. Despite the odds stacked against them, Liverpool fans remain hopeful and will be cheering on their team as they look to produce another memorable European comeback.