The last time Liverpool was at Madrid's Estadio Wanda Metropolitano, it celebrated its 2019 Champions League final triumph over Tottenham, and it returns as one of the favorites to win the European crown again.
The runaway Premier League leaders are back in the Spanish capital to face Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the round of 16. Liverpool is an astounding 25 points clear in the Premier League and is hoping to do the domestic-European double by repeating at Champions League winners.
Standing in its way is an Atletico Madrid side that has labored through the season and doesn't appear to be anywhere near a quintessential Simeone-led contender.