On heroes and wounds – AS.com

Because there are hangovers that are like that verse by Karmelo Iribarren. That never finish happening. And that one lasted a long time. The one from the last time they saw each other. Because then the world stopped. And in the long days at home that memory. The one from the last great football game. That Liverpool-Atlético in which Cholo’s men confirmed an impossible: eliminate their current champion in the Champions League, to a Liverpool that came as a steamroller. But, first at the Metropolitano and then at Anfield, Atleti took their motto to football: never stop believing. Here with a goal from Saúl, there with Llorente. This Liverpool, a year and a half later, is as scary as that one. Or more. He doesn’t win games, he crushes them. And he travels to Madrid with rage and a desire for revenge. The hangover of that night still in memory (follow the game live on As.com).

And with warm boots, still in gunpowder. The one that was fired at Watford on Saturday. 0-5. Salah, Mané and Firmino. Three goals from the last, a great goal from the first, one of the footballers of the moment. Everything comes out. Eight goals and four assists in eight games. Still undefeated, with an average of three goals per game. Simeone and all his men saw it on TV. Cold legs, after 17 days with training but without competition. Because the break was followed by a day without matches, due to the travel of the CONMEBOL players. And the FIFA Virus hovering, that Simeone was already missing Savic, sanction, and Giménez was injured. He is already with the group. It could come but it is doubt. Kondogbia, just in case, has exercised in recent days as a third center back if Simeone bets on defense of five.

Cholo’s doubts

Another of the doubts is Llorente, the man from Anfield, the footballer who changed the history of Atleti in that extra time after Liverpool turned the impossible around, Saúl’s goal in the first leg. Atleti’s and his own. Fundamental footballer since then, for last LaLiga. If he is not, De Paul, huge with Argentina again. Like Lemar and João Félix, who with their speed and triangulations unleashed Barça in the last Atleti game, October 2.

In addition to the trident, behind they shelter Klopp Allison in goal and Van Dijk in the back. Jota, who went through Atleti without a chance, is doubtful. Another of Cholo is who will accompany João Félix. It could be Grizi, it could be Suárez. Los del Cholo will continue looking for the impossible. It’s group stage, it’s different, but he needs to scratch points so as not to suffer later, against this Liverpool still with the open wound of that hangover.