UEFA Champions League,
League Stage – 3
Liverpool
LIV
Villarreal
VIL
-
Venue
- Anfield
-
Referee
- Szymon Marciniak
Where to Watch Liverpool v Villarreal: TV and online streams
Liverpool versus Villarreal kicks off at 8pm BST on Tuesday, October 20 at Anfield.
In the UK, the game is being shown on Amazon Prime Video. In the US, the game is on Paramount+ at 3pm ET.
If you live outside the UK, click the LINK HERE to find out where to watch it in your region.
Preview for Liverpool v Villarreal
There’s a personal edge to this one. Andoni Iraola welcomes Villarreal to Anfield on Tuesday night, and in the opposite dugout will be Inigo Perez, the man who worked alongside him at Rayo Vallecano and who almost followed him to Bournemouth before a work permit issue stopped the move.
Perez has since forged his own path, and he arrives at Anfield with a Villarreal side who have improved significantly in recent weeks.
“For me it is a special game because Inigo is my friend,” said Iraola. “We know each other since the academy years in Athletic Club, we played with each other in the first team. As soon as he retired, I was quick enough to grab him to help as an assistant. We’ve been through a lot of things together.
“It is a privilege for me to face him in a Champions League game. He knows me very well, he knows everything. It is a team that I follow, I know the players and it is going to be a little bit strange but in a good way.”
Liverpool’s own form has picked up nicely. After the 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City, Iraola’s side responded with a 6-3 win at LASK in the Champions League and then a 2-1 victory at Brentford on Saturday, with Alexander Isak returning to score the winner. That’s six wins in eight games in all competitions, and Liverpool have won both of their Champions League games so far, having also beaten Atlético Madrid 2-1 at Anfield on matchday one. They sit fifth in the league-phase standings.
Villarreal endured a nightmare start under Pérez, going six games without a win in all competitions, including a defeat to Borussia Dortmund on matchday one. They’ve turned things around since, winning four times, including an impressive 3-1 victory over Napoli in their last Champions League game. However, their weekend ended in a goalless draw with Elche.
Their away form remains a concern. Villarreal have won just one of their six away games this season.
Liverpool have the edge in the head-to-head record, winning three of the four previous meetings. The sides met in two European semi-finals, with Liverpool progressing in the 2015-16 Europa League and the 2021-22 Champions League.
Champions League Table
UEFA Champions League 2026
World
| # | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Last 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Paris Saint Germain |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 2 |
Barcelona |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 3 |
Aston Villa |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 4 |
VfB Stuttgart |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 5 |
Liverpool |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 6 |
Sporting CP |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 7 |
Arsenal |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 8 |
Real Madrid |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 9 |
Real Betis |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
W
W
|
| 10 |
Bayern München |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
D
W
|
| 11 |
Shakhtar Donetsk |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
W
D
|
| 12 |
Como |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 13 |
Manchester United |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 14 |
Villarreal |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 15 |
Atletico Madrid |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 16 |
Club Brugge KV |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 17 |
Manchester City |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 18 |
Borussia Dortmund |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 19 |
Lens |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 20 |
AEK Athens FC |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
L
W
|
| 21 |
RB Leipzig |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 22 |
Sabah FA |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 23 |
Feyenoord |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 24 |
Bodo/Glimt |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 3 |
W
L
|
| 25 |
AS Roma |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 1 |
L
D
|
| 26 |
PSV Eindhoven |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 |
L
D
|
| 27 |
Viking |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 1 |
D
L
|
| 28 |
Fenerbahçe |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 1 |
L
D
|
| 29 |
Inter |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 30 |
FC Porto |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 31 |
Slavia Praha |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 32 |
Napoli |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 33 |
Lask Linz |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 34 |
Lille |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 35 |
Galatasaray |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | -5 | 0 |
L
L
|
| 36 |
Slovan Bratislava |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 0 |
L
L
|
- Position 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 : Promotion – Champions League (Play Offs: 1/8-finals)
- Position 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 : Promotion – Champions League (Play Offs: 1/16-finals)
Team News for Liverpool v Villarreal
Jeremie Frimpong and Dominik Szoboszlai will both miss the game after sustaining issues at Brentford.
There is better news on Isak, who scored the winner at the Gtech after returning from his thigh injury. Ryan Gravenberch is also available after missing the Brentford game through suspension, and he is expected to come straight back into midfield in place of Szoboszlai.
Florian Wirtz has faced criticism this season but has been trusted by Iraola throughout, so he should start in the Number 10 role.
For Villarreal, Nicolas Pépé and Tajon Buchanan are both out.
Expected line-ups for Liverpool v Villarreal
Liverpool: Alisson; Araújo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo; Isak
Villarreal: Gulácsi; Mouriño, Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga, Carlos Romero; Santi Comesaña, Saliba, Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Gerard Moreno, Mikautadze
Recent Form & Stats for Liverpool v Villarreal
- Both of the sides’ previous contests have come in European semi-finals, Liverpool progressing on aggregate on both occasions. In the 2015/16 Europa League, Villarreal won the first leg 1-0 at home before Liverpool triumphed 3-0 at Anfield.
- Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool won both legs in the 2021/22 Champions League semi-finals, 2-0 at home and 3-2 away – although they had to recover from two goals down in the latter encounter. Alisson and Virgil van Dijk played in both games, as did Villarreal’s Juan Foyth.
- Liverpool have won their last five matches against Spanish clubs and their last four at home, defeating Atlético Madrid 2-1 at Anfield in their first game this season.
- The Reds have won their last seven group stage/league phase matches against Spanish teams.
- Liverpool have also lost only three of their last 16 games at Anfield versus Spanish visitors (W10 D3).
- Villarreal have never beaten an English club in the Champions League proper (D6 L10).
- Last season’s 0-2 home loss against Manchester City made it six successive defeats against Premier League opposition for the Spanish side.
- Villarreal are without a win in 10 away matches against English teams (D3 L7), since a 2-1 success at Everton in the 2005/06 Champions League third qualifying round. A 0-1 loss at Tottenham on their most recent visit, on Matchday 1 last season, made it three defeats in a row.
Recent Results : Liverpool
-
Premier League
Brentford
BRE
W 1 – 2 2026-10-17
Liverpool
LIV
-
UEFA Champions League
Lask Linz
LAS
W 3 – 6 2026-10-14
Liverpool
LIV
-
Premier League
Liverpool
LIV
L 0 – 3 2026-10-11
Manchester City
MCI
-
Premier League
Bournemouth
BOU
W 0 – 1 2026-09-20
Liverpool
LIV
-
League Cup
Liverpool
LIV
W 3 – 1 2026-09-15
Tottenham
TOT
Recent Results : Villarreal
-
La Liga
Villarreal
VIL
D 0 – 0 2026-10-17
Elche
ELC
-
UEFA Champions League
Villarreal
VIL
W 3 – 1 2026-10-13
Napoli
NAP
-
La Liga
Real Madrid
REA
L 1 – 0 2026-10-10
Villarreal
VIL
-
La Liga
Villarreal
VIL
W 3 – 1 2026-09-20
Levante
LEV
-
La Liga
Malaga
MAL
W 1 – 3 2026-09-17
Villarreal
VIL
Prediction for Liverpool v Villarreal
This could be tight. Liverpool have yet to really fire this season and the same can be said for Villarreal. The Reds’ injuries are another headache for Iraola, especially against a man who knows his tactics so well.
Match Prediction
Liverpool
Villarreal
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