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Liverpool Host Villarreal Seeking Perfect Champions League Record
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Liverpool Host Villarreal Seeking Perfect Champions League Record

58 minutes ago·2 min

Liverpool welcome Villarreal to Anfield on Tuesday, 20 October, looking to secure a third consecutive victory in the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 league phase. Kick-off is at 8:00pm BST.

Liverpool's form coming in

Andoni Iraola's side arrive at this fixture having made a flawless start to their European campaign. They opened with a home win over Atletico Madrid at Anfield before travelling to Austria, where they dismantled LASK 6-3 last Wednesday. Summer signing Bradley Barcola was the standout performer in that match, bagging a hat-trick — his first goals for the club — with Liverpool leading 4-0 by the 51st minute.

Three days later, the Reds returned to Premier League action and ground out a 2-1 win at Brentford, coming from behind to collect three points against a home side that finished with nine men.

However, Iraola faces selection concerns heading into this tie. Midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai remains on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, and Jeremie Frimpong will also miss out after picking up an injury just 6 minutes after being introduced as a substitute at Brentford.

Villarreal's difficult run of form

The visitors arrive at Anfield having shown some resilience in Europe but struggling domestically. Villarreal suffered defeat to Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League opener before rallying to beat Napoli 3-1 last week, overturning a 1-0 deficit to claim their first points of the league phase.

In La Liga, however, Inigo Perez's men — he replaced Marcelino as manager this summer — have endured a difficult campaign, gathering just nine points from their opening nine matches. A goalless draw at home to Elche on Saturday underlined their struggles in front of goal.

Villarreal will also be without Nicolas Pepe, who is recovering from eye surgery, and Canada international Tajon Buchanan. Georges Mikautadze and Alberto Moleiro are expected to carry the bulk of the attacking burden, with both players already recording five goal involvements this season. Former Newcastle United and Leicester City striker Ayoze Perez may also come into contention.

How to watch

In the UK, the match is live on Amazon Prime Video, which offers a 30-day free trial for new subscribers. The service auto-renews at £8.99 per month, or £95 annually.

In the US, Paramount+ is the home of the UEFA Champions League. The Essential plan costs $8.99 per month or $89.99 per year. Kick-off is at 3:00pm ET.

In Australia, Stan Sport carries the fixture, with the game kicking off at 6:00am AEDT on Wednesday. Stan Sport is priced at AU$29.99 per month.

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