
UEFA Champions League, League Stage 3LiverpoolLIV 20/10/2026 20:00 VillarrealVIL Venue Anfield Referee Szymon MarciniakWhere to Watch Liverpool v Villarreal: TV and online streamsLiverpool versus Villarreal kicks off at8pm BST on Tuesday, October 20at Anfield. In the UK, the game is being shown on Amazon Prime Video. In the US, the game is onParamount+at 3pm ET.If you live outside the UK, click theLINK HEREto find out where to watch it in your region.Preview for Liverpool v VillarrealTheres a personal edge to this one. Andoni Iraola welcomes Villarreal to Anfield on Tuesday night, and in the opposite dugout will be Iigo Prez, the man who worked alongside him at Rayo Vallecano and who almost followed him to Bournemouth before a work permit issue stopped the move.Prez has since forged his own path, and he arrives at Anfield with a Villarreal side that has 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. Weve 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.Liverpools own form has picked up nicely. After the 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City, Iraolas 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. Thats six wins in eight games in all competitions, and Liverpool have won both of their Champions League games so far, having also beaten Atltico Madrid 2-1 at Anfield on matchday one. They sit fifth in the league-phase standings.Villarreal endured a nightmare start under Prez, going six games without a win in all competitions, including a defeat to Borussia Dortmund on matchday one. Theyve 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 #TeamPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAGDPtsLast 2 1 Paris Saint Germain220010376 W W 2 Barcelona22009276 W W 3 Aston Villa22009276 W W 4 VfB Stuttgart22006156 W W 5 Liverpool22008446 W W 6 Sporting CP22005146 W W 7 Arsenal22004046 W W 8 Real Madrid22006426 W W 9 Real Betis22006426 W W 10 Bayern Mnchen21108354 D W 11 Shakhtar Donetsk21104224 W D 12 Como21016423 L W 13 Manchester United21014223 L W 14 Villarreal21015413 W L 15 Atletico Madrid21013213 W L 16 Club Brugge KV21016603 W L 17 Manchester City21014403 L W 18 Borussia Dortmund21013303 L W 19 Lens210134-13 L W 20 AEK Athens FC210123-13 L W 21 RB Leipzig210124-23 W L 22 Sabah FA210124-23 W L 23 Feyenoord210147-33 W L 24 Bodo/Glimt210115-43 W L 25 AS Roma201145-11 L D 26 PSV Eindhoven201112-11 L D 27 Viking201146-21 D L 28 Fenerbahe201117-61 L D 29 Inter200246-20 L L 30 FC Porto200225-30 L L 31 Slavia Praha200225-30 L L 32 Napoli200214-30 L L 33 Lask Linz200237-40 L L 34 Lille200226-40 L L 35 Galatasaray200227-50 L L 36 Slovan Bratislava200219-80 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 VillarrealJeremie 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 Pp and Tajon Buchanan are both out. Expected line-ups for Liverpool v VillarrealLiverpool: Alisson; Arajo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Barcola, Wirtz, Gakpo; IsakVillarreal: Gulcsi; Mourio, Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga, Carlos Romero; Santi Comesaa, Saliba, Gueye, Alberto Moleiro; Gerard Moreno, MikautadzeRecent Form & Stats for Liverpool v VillarrealBoth 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 homebeforeLiverpool triumphed 3-0 at Anfield.Jrgen Klopps Liverpool won both legs in the 2021/22 Champions League semi-finals,2-0 at homeand3-2 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 Villarreals Juan Foyth.Liverpool have won their last five matches against Spanish clubs and their last four at home,defeating Atltico 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 seasons 0-2 home loss against Manchester Citymade 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), sincea 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 VillarrealThis 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 PredictionLiverpool 2 2 Villarreal Topics Liverpool F.C. 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