As Atalanta tread on the Anfield Road stage on Thursday, April 11, at 21:00 CEST for the first leg of the 2023-2024 UEFA Europa League quarterfinals, here’s our report on “The Reds”. The two sides are to cross paths for the third time after the two previous matchups dating back to the 2020-2021 UEFA Champions League Group Stage. With one win each, the bottom line hangs in perfect balance: while Liverpool won 5-0 in Bergamo, Atalanta imposed themselves 2-0 in Anfield.
Established back in 1892, Liverpool are one of the oldest and most successful Clubs in the history of football: on the grounds of their 72 trophies won so far, the Reds are the most awarded Club in England. Namely, the trophy cabinet of Atalanta’s upcoming opponents comprises, among others: 19 league titles, 8 FA Cups, 10 EFL Cups and 16 FA Charity Shields. As far as international honours are concerned, Liverpool have lifted 6 European Cups/UEFA Champions League, 3 UEFA Cups, 4 UEFA Supercups and 1 FIFA World Cup.
Coached by Jurgen Klopp, the German caretaker took the helm of the Merseyside Club back in October 2015 after his previous experiences on the sidelines of Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund: under his tenure, Liverpool returned to winning ways both domestically, as the Reds lifted the English top-flight title after a 30 years hiatus, and internationally- with the Champions League, the European SuperCup and a FIFA Club World Cup won back in the 2018/19 season as their latest Continental and Worldwide bounty.
Moving on to the rundown on Liverpool’s path in the current UEFA Europa League campaign, the Reds closed on top of Group E ahead of Toulouse, Union Saint-Gilloise and LASK with 12 points (coming from 4 wins and 2 losses); 17 goals scored -which made them the second best team in terms of offensive tally in the group stage- and 7 nets conceded. In the knockout phase, the English side landed in the quarterfinals after claiming two cinch – respectively, the 5-1 away win in the 1st leg and the 6-1 domestic triumph in Anfield in the return game- over AC Sparta Praha in the RO16.
Trophy-wise, Liverpool have recently added new silverware to the cabinet earlier this season by defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the EFL Cup final played in Wembley on February 25.
Closing off with the team’s current situation in the English top flight, Klopp’s side are currently 2nd on 71 points – respectively, levelled with Arsenal but sitting behind on goal difference, the current EPL’s pacesetters, and 1 ahead of Manchester City – after drawing 2-2 away to Manchester United on Sunday.
