Liverpool press conference LIVE - Alexis Mac Allister makes exit admission

Diego Simeone brings Atletico Madrid to Anfield for the fourth time in six-and-a-half years, with Wednesday's clash kicking off this season's league phase just as it did last season's when the Reds won 3-2 thanks to a late Virgil van Dijk header.

Iraola will be hoping for a similar result this time around in what is his first Champions League match as a head coach, and he'll be here from 1pm to preview the clash along with Reds midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.

Ian Doyle is at Anfield to hear from them both, and you can follow live updates here.

FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FC FACEBOOK PAGE! All the latest news and analysis from Anfield on the Liverpool Echo's dedicated LFC Facebook page

New UpdatesToday13:31 BSTIraola is overThat's enough from everyone at the moment.

CommentsIan DoyleToday13:28 BSTIraola on intensity with lots of gamesWe have to be as intense as possible as we are better like this. I don't want my players to think they have another game coming up, I don't want them to have a calculator and think they have some games coming up. We want us to get used to playing at a higher rhythm and only way is pushing.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:26 BSTIraola on BarcolaHe is ready to play more minutes. He has been training quite normally, only thing he hasn't had pre-season (games). But he is in a really good place.CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:26 BSTIraola on three games a weekThis is going to be a challenge I hope through the season as that means we are in the competitions.This week won't be that bad as we didn't play til Friday next week will be more difficult. I will have to get used to it and definitely you have it in mind when you pick the team the next games.I will not tell you if I plan to rotate! Still my players don't know the line-up so I won't tell you. But I have to consider we have more games and where we are physically.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:24 BSTIraola on first CL game as head coachOne of the tougheet opponents we will face. But we play against very good teams in the PL. I know quite well Atletico, some of their players. My first game in CL is a great game to play. It will show us where we are. We showed on Friday some good signs but let's see against Atletico where we are.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:21 BSTIraola on having conversations with Mac Allister about his contractNo.I try to help all my players. I hope I can improve my players so I can help them win games. Same with Alexis and everyone else. I'm very happy with Alexis and his performances especially on Friday. I hope I can help him to improve. He's a very good player.CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:20 BSTIraola on Champions League nights at AnfieldIt's one of the dreams when you start. When I started my coaching career I dreamt of being in a position I am now so I hope I can enjoy it. It is about putting the team together in a position where we can play a good game.Last Friday we needed a win definitely after the bad taste of two draws, I saw some good performances, starting the game stronger with more intensity.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:19 BSTIraola on KerkezMilos played very well on Friday. I know him very well an dwhat he can achieve. He has still a big potential being veyr young and a good amount of experience in the PL and with national team. He needs to improve a lot of things like all the others, otherwise there is no bigger step for him. I am ready to help him become a better player. He is in a good way.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:17 BSTIraola on SimeoneHe has done a very good job as a manager. It is remarkable and it is definitely a big challenge for us. I played against him as a player and I have coached against him. He has much more experience than me in this kind of game but I hope tomorrow we can give him a good game.CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:16 BSTIraola on Mac Allister situationWe all have responsibilities, contracts with a club. We haven't been together a lot of time but he is very importnat and has played a lot of minutes very highly. We have time to talk about those contract situations.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:15 BSTIraola on Hughes leavingIt wasn't a surprise when the news came at the weekend. The people know what they need to do and I wish him all the best. Now the club are still working with the people who have been taking the decisions this summer, speaking with Mike Gordon.Now it's a matter of the club taking the next step where to go and the next direction. A lot of the people involved in the decisions day-to-day are still with us. But it's true, I can only speak very well of Richard Hughes and wish him all the best.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:14 BSTIraola in positionHe's here.

CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:13 BSTMac Allister is finishedTell us what you think next time, Alexis...

CommentsIan DoyleToday13:13 BSTMac Allister on being affected by injury at start of last seasonNot really. That injury wasn't really an injury, I was playing with pain basically started in the middle of season we won PL. Not something I couldn't play with. But that's what every player at this level goes through. There are so many games and you want to be involved. I take responsibilty as it wasn't a good season for me inidivudally ro us as a team. It's not like I don't want to take responsibility for it.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:10 BSTMac Allister on turning down other offersBecause this is the right club. I have said before I love being here and this is something special and if I feel we can be successful, I want to win trophies, we have the right players and mentality.CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:09 BSTMac Allister on new managerDefinitely since I came to pre-season I worked under Andoni I could see something special. I said before he is a really good coach, he knows very well what he wants to do. We are trying to get there. I haven't had an yconversations with him about it, but when I see the way he wants us to play and train I think we can have a successful year which is why I think this is the right place to be.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:08 BSTMac Allister on having more to proveNot really as I'm always the same guy and always the same player. I'm not going to change. This is who I am and three years at the club I've done very good things. We went through difficult times and a lot of things, we won a PL and Carabao Cup, for me it's a very successful period of my life. I don't have to prove soimething but I have to show the level I can perform at.I love this club, I love being here, I love the fans and as a player it sometimes happens you are at a club for a long long time you don't really realise where you are. That doesn't happen to me. I realise I am at amazing club and this city is very special.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:07 BSTMac Allister on CLI'm very confident about this season. We have a lot of quality, a very good coach that brought his ideas and we are trying to get that. We have improved a lot since the beginning of the season. We have quality, a very good coach, the desire for winning so hopefully this year, many of these players won PL as well so we have experience and trophies. But we have to be together.It's so special for me (Champions League nights at Anfield). I really enjoy them. When I arrived we were in Europa League and you can see the difference when it's a CL game. Hopefully we can bring that with us and we can play good football so the fans can get behind us.CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:05 BSTMac Allister on his futureThere was a chance (I could leave in the summer) as everyone knows. I received the news the club had made a decision not to offer me a new contract which of course makes me very very sad. Everybody can see I give 100% for this club every single day in training. I have good games and bad games like everyone and always I give my best. I see Dominik and Ryan renewing their contracts and htat makes me happy as they deserve it but at the same time it maeks me sad as ididn't get mine. But there is still time. The fans don't need to worry as I will give 100% until the last day I am here. We will see what happens. There were options to leave this summer and right now I'm in the right club and I have the right mindset to give 100% to this club. Two more years (on my deal). Can it change? Maybe, I don't know. It is going to depend on how i peform this year. It's their right ot make a decision. But fans don't need to worry as I'll give 100% and maybe they change their minds (the club).A reason? Not really, there was any direct converation with me, ti was with my agent. I don't want to say things they never said, but what I got from my agent is they weren't in a position to renew me. It's really sad, we won Premier League together and went htrough difficult times together and I will always give my best. We will see what happens but of course it makes me sad.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:01 BSTMac Allister on not much rest this summerIt's the same for almost every player right now. But it's good. I love playing football and love being here in terms of the guys it is good, it's a good start to the season. The results haven't been the best as at Liverpool you have to win every game but I see a lot of imporvement nad positive things we have to keep doing. Tomorrow is going to be important.CommentsIan DoyleToday13:00 BSTMac Allister is hereWe can begin...

CommentsIan Doyle‌Today13:00 BSTWaiting for AndoniIn position at Anfield and just waiting for Andoni Iraola and Alexis Mac Allister...

CommentsIan DoyleToday12:51 BSTAtletico Madrid squadAtletico Madrid have named their squad for the trip to Anfield, and it includes Julian Alvarez despite the former Manchester City forward being jeered by his own fans after trying to leave for Barcelona.

It does not include Arnau Ortiz however, with the Spanish winger suspended two years after he received a red card.

Richard Garnett has the full story.

CommentsMark JonesToday12:34 BSTOld enemiesWednesday will be the sixth meeting of Liverpool and Atletico in the past six-and-a-half years, while it will also be the sixth time they've come to Anfield.

The pair played out a couple of 1-1 draws in the old Champions League group stage back in 2008, and then there was the Europa League semi-final in 2010 when Atleti triumphed on away goals thanks to Diego Forlan's strike in extra-time on Merseyside.

Ten years later was the infamous pre-Covid clashes when Atletico knocked reigning European champions Liverpool out of the Champions League 4-2 on aggregate.

Eighteen months later the Reds got a slice of revenge with two wins in the Champions League group phase - 3-2 in Madrid and 2-0 at Anfield - and then came the 3-2 win at Anfield a year ago thanks to Virgil van Dijk's late header.

CommentsMark Jones‌Today12:20 BSTHelloWelcome along. The Champions League is back!

The tournament that Liverpool dragged their way into kicking and screaming last season returns this week, and the Reds are starting exactly as they did a year ago with a home game against Atletico Madrid.

There are a few different characters this time around though, and one of them, head coach Andoni Iraola, will be here from 1pm to preview the game, as will Reds midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.