Liverpool injury, suspension list and return dates for Atletico Madrid: Isak, Mac Allister, Jones latest

Anfield is ready again for European nights and the air around Liverpool is filled with both excitement and worry as the Champions League comes back to Merseyside. On Wednesday night the Reds will welcome Atletico Madrid in what is the first league phase battle of the season. It is not just another group stage opener, it is a test of character, a test of strength, a test of whether Arne Slot’s Liverpool can carry their blistering domestic form onto the European stage where reputations are either made or broken.

Liverpool are walking into this clash on the back of a Premier League win that was earned the hard way. Burnley fought, Burnley resisted, and Burnley believed they had done enough to take a point from the Reds. But football is cruel and football is ruthless when Mohamed Salah is on the pitch. With the very last kick of the game, Salah buried a penalty and sent the Liverpool supporters into complete chaos. That smash and grab win might not have been the prettiest victory, but sometimes ugly wins tell more about a team than comfortable ones. It was a reminder that Liverpool have learned how to suffer, how to fight until the very end, and how to win when everything seems lost.

But now the focus turns from England to Europe. Last season’s Champions League run ended in heartbreak, going out to Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16. It was penalties that did the damage, penalties that turned their dream into disappointment. There was no shame in losing to the eventual winners, but for a club like Liverpool, that ending was not enough. The fans wanted more, the players wanted more, and the new manager Slot himself felt the pain of falling short. This season is different, this season is about rewriting the story, and the first chapter of that story begins against Atletico Madrid at Anfield.

However, football is never about dreams alone, it is about reality, and the reality is that Liverpool have injury worries that could affect their performance in this huge game. Three names dominate the conversation: Alexander Isak, Alexis Mac Allister, and Curtis Jones. Each case is different, each situation has its own drama, and each one holds the key to how Liverpool line up against the Spaniards.

The biggest talking point is of course Alexander Isak. Liverpool paid £125m to bring him from Newcastle United, a deal that sent shockwaves through the football world. Supporters have been waiting impatiently to see him in red, waiting for that first touch, that first sprint, that first goal at Anfield. They thought they might get their wish against Burnley, but the new star was left out of the squad. No Isak, no debut, no magic moment. The disappointment was heavy but Slot explained that the striker was still not considered match fit. Now all eyes are on Wednesday night. Will Isak finally step onto the Anfield turf? Slot has dropped hints, strong hints, that he will be involved, but almost certainly from the bench. The Swede may only get a taste of action, a short cameo, but for fans desperate to see him unleashed, even ten minutes would be enough to create electricity around the stadium. The idea of Salah, Núñez, Díaz, and now Isak in the same squad is terrifying for opponents, and Atletico know it.

Then there is Alexis Mac Allister, the heartbeat of Liverpool’s midfield, the World Cup winner who has become a leader under Slot. Against Burnley he was forced off at half time after a brutal challenge by Lesley Ugochukwu. The sight of him hobbling off was enough to send shivers through the fanbase. Was this the start of a serious injury? Was he going to miss crucial games? But Slot was quick to calm the nerves. He explained that the substitution was precautionary, that it was about fitness management, not damage. According to the manager, Mac Allister should be ready for Atletico, should be in the squad, and should play. His presence is vital because against a team like Diego Simeone’s Atletico, control in midfield is everything. Without Mac Allister, Liverpool’s rhythm changes, the balance shifts, and the battle becomes harder. His availability could decide whether Liverpool dominate or whether they struggle.

Curtis Jones is the other concern, and his case is more complicated. The young Scouser picked up an injury against Arsenal before the international break, and he was absent against Burnley. The club has kept details quiet, calling it an unspecified injury, but his absence is telling. To see him return against Atletico would be a shock. The medical staff are not rushing him back, Slot is not taking risks, and that means Jones is almost certainly out of the clash. His creativity, his energy, his connection with the fans will be missed, but the squad has depth and others must step up. Still, the sight of a local lad missing a big European night always feels like a small tragedy for Liverpool supporters who love to see their own shine on the grand stage.

These are the three injury stories dominating the news, but there is one piece of good news too. Liverpool have no suspensions to worry about. No red card hangovers, no yellow card bans, nothing to disrupt Slot’s selection. That is rare in modern football where suspensions often derail plans, and it gives the coach full control to pick his strongest eleven depending on who is fit.

The atmosphere around this game is made even more intense by Atletico Madrid’s problems. The Spanish side are facing their own injury crisis, with reports of a triple scare that could leave them weakened. Simeone thrives on adversity, he thrives on making his team fight with their backs against the wall, but he knows coming to Anfield with key men missing is dangerous. Liverpool at home in Europe are a force like no other, and the Kop can turn any game into a storm

For Slot, this is not just another match. It is his first true European test as Liverpool manager. He knows that domestically his team are flying, but the Champions League is judged differently. A good Premier League season is respected, but Liverpool are measured in Europe by the weight of their history, by the nights of Istanbul, by the miracle of Barcelona, by the countless times Anfield roared its team to victory. Slot must show that he understands this culture, that he can deliver on this stage, and that he can carry the torch of managers before him. This Atletico game is the first step, and every decision he makes will be analysed. Does he risk Mac Allister? Does he give Isak minutes? Does he find a way to cover Jones? These are the questions only he can answer.

For the players, the motivation is simple. Atletico are a nightmare opponent, tough, disciplined, defensive, but also lethal on the counter. Every player knows that mistakes will be punished, every player knows that intensity must be at the highest level. Salah will look to continue his golden run, Darwin Núñez will fight to prove himself again, and young stars like Szoboszlai and Gravenberch will see this as their chance to shine on the biggest stage.

And for the fans, this is about Anfield under the lights, about the Champions League anthem, about the magic that only European nights bring. They know the pain of last season, they remember the heartbreak of penalties, and they want revenge on the competition itself. Atletico Madrid are the first victims chosen by destiny, and the fans will make sure their team feels unstoppable.

Injury lists and return dates may dominate the headlines, but on Wednesday night it will not be about reports or updates. It will be about passion, about fight, about ninety minutes of war on the pitch. Liverpool may have worries over Isak, Mac Allister, and Jones, but they also have belief, momentum, and history on their side. Atletico Madrid will arrive with scars of their own, but Simeone’s men are never easy prey.

As the countdown to kick off continues, Liverpool supporters dream of seeing Isak’s debut, they pray for Mac Allister’s recovery, and they hope Jones will heal quickly. They trust Salah to deliver again, they expect Slot to make the right calls, and they believe in Anfield’s power to shape destiny. Injuries may test them, but Liverpool have been tested before, and more often than not, they rise

Wednesday night will tell whether this team is ready to begin another European journey, whether the story that ended in Paris last year will be rewritten in glory, and whether Liverpool under Arne Slot can once again conquer the continent. For now, all that can be said is simple: the Reds are ready, the fans are waiting, and Anfield is about to explode