Atlético Madrid against Liverpool

Rafa Benitez is shouting at a ball boy for not throwing the back quick enough. Terrible behaviour.

Gerrard puts a great ball in and Johnson just fails to make contact. Great chance.

Atletico sub: Salvio on for Forlan

Valera is penalised for a foul.

Yellow card: Valera (Atletico)

Liverpool sub: El Zahr on for Benayoun

He protested too much.

Yellow card: Kyrgiakos (Liverpool)

Kyrgiakos protests that he was dragged down in the box.

Assuncao fouls Benayoun cynically from behind. Gerrard will whip in a cross for the big men.

But the free kick is whipped in too high and clips an Atletico head for a goal kick to Liverpool.

Reyes tumbles after slight contact with Kyrgiakos. Free kick to Atletico in a tantilising position on the left.

Atletico sub: Valera for Simao

Reina spills a shot from distance that almost falls at the feet of Forlan, but Forlan can't get his shot on target.

Johnson over exuberantly tackles Simao by the corner flag, and Simao takes exception. The ref has a word.

This really is an awful game.

Babel motors down the left and finds Gerrard who finds Kuyt, but Kuyt's shot is, predictably, off target.

The referee is having a word with Rafa Benitez on the touchline. Not sure what that was about.

Kuyt was through on goal for a moment but his lack of a left foot lets him down. He gathered the ball and attempted to find Gerrad with a cross but the move breaks down. If only Kuyt had shot with his left.

Liverpool play their way out of trouble after some good Atletico pressure.

Kuyt puts a cross in from the left, finding Babel. Babel was initially in a great position in the box but was forced wide and eventually loses the ball.

Jurado is fouled on the half way line.

Liverpool sub: Babel on for Ngog.

Gerrard shoots from the halway line after seeing De Gea off his line. The ball sails just over. Worth an effort.

And Diego Forlan has picked up a telephone on the pitch. Curious.

Reyes drops the shoulder and shows great skill to get away from Benayoun but his throughball is overhit. Lovely technique from Reyes though.

That save could prove crucial come the end of this tie.

Wonderful save by Reina. Johnson slipped as the cross came in from the right giving Simao a chance to shoot from close range at the far post. But Reina makes a fantastic reflex save to keep it 1-0.

Jurado is caught late from behind by Kyrgiakos. Free kick, but again, no yellow.

Forlan was onside and didn't seem to realise how much time he had to turn and shoot. Instead he tried to prod the ball over Reina, which didn't come off.

Benitez has clearly told his side to step up their attack in the second half.

Gerrard sprays the ball to Kuyt on the right but it is overhit by Gerrard.

Gerrard seemed to be through on goal but Perea came from nowhere to make a great tackle. Goal-saving tackle from Perea on the edge of the box there.

Confident start to the second half by Liverpool. Benayoun puts a nice ball into the path of Kuyt but Kuyt is muscled out of it.

Gerrard bursts forward and seemed to be barged over on the edge of the box, but again the ref is unimpressed.

Jurado teases Mascherano with some beautiful skill but Ngog is fouled and Liverpool clear.

Liverpool, in their all black strip, kick off the second half.

And that's the end of a tepid first half. Join me in 15 minutes for the second half.

Gerrard forces a throw when it appeared to be a corner.

Perea concedes a throw deep in the Atletico half.

Ujfalusi breaks forward and twists and turns his way into a shooting position from the right in the penalty box but fires it into the side netting.

Mascherano is caught very late as Liverpool were breaking. No yellow card, which is surprising.

Agger has fouled Raul Garcia and Atletico can mount an attack here.

Kuyt bursts forward with real purpose and finds Gerrard, who can't get his ball out to Johnson on the right. Good play by Liverpool though.

Gerrard shows great movement by getting behind Lopez at left back, but the ball to him was way off target.

Liverpool claim a penalty after the ball seemed to brush an arm. Benayoun's protests fall on deaf ears.

Antonio Lopez gets away with a foul on Kuyt. Lopez definitely brought down the dutchman in the Atletico half.

Johnson watches the ball roll out for a goal kick under pressure from Assuncao.

Assuncao and Reyes link well but the Atletico move breaks down.

Still, neither side have settled into a rhythm.

Atletico have another appeal turned down on the edge of the box, after Reyes appeared to have been tripped. I would say another good decision from the ref but the home fans are making themselves heard.

Simao releases Forlan who may have been fouled on the edge of the box but the ref waves play on. The home fans are insensed but it was just a shoulder.

Atletico are keeping the ball in their half of the pitch under little pressure.

Gerrard looks to release Ngog, but Ngog miscontrols it and the chance goes begging.

Kuyt lays the ball to Gerrard just outside the box, who can't quite bring it under control after trying to dribble his way through the Atletico defence. He forces a corner deep in Atletico territory.

Liverpool are building patiently, going forward, back and sideways, but not really penetrating the Atletico defence.

Reyes tries a very very optimistic shot from all of 40 yards. Always rising, never going in.

Forlan tries to find Simao in an attacking position on the Atletico left, but Forlan overhits it. Much to the relief of Glen Johnson.

Gerrard is released and has to take his shot first time, with his left foot inside the left side of the penalty box. His shot hits the side netting. Not a bad effort under pressure from Ujfalusi and Perea.

Indeed, replays have shown that when Kuyt played the ball to Benayoun he was level. Poor decision.

And Benayoun put the ball into the Atletico net, but is flagged for offside. That was close.

After a poor start, Liverpool are dragging themselves back into this one.

Atletico are looking dangerous on the break with Reyes.

Liverpool are enjoying their first period of possession, almost 15 minutes into the game.

Liverpool are at sixes and sevens.

And Reina miscatches a bread and butter cross and fumbles it out for a needless corner.

Kyrgiakos clears with Forlan in his shadow. Kyrgiakos looks decidedly uncomfortable in these opening stages.

And Liverpool look to get back into this straight away. Johnson crosses from the right and the ball is flicked clear.

Terrible goal to concede from Liverpool's point of view. Carragher, who was scampering back on the goalline trying to clear, was livid with Kyrgiakos.

And it's Forlan! Jurado stretched his legs down the left and put a cross into a totally unmarked Diego Forlan, who misheaded it but had a second bite at it after Kyrgiakos wasn't quick enough to close down. Forlan bundled it in in the end.

GOAL! 1-0 Atletico

Atletico look to be attacking Liverpool's left side through Reyes as often as possible. The Spaniard tries to skip his way infield but it met by Gerrard.

Liverpool finding it hard to gain possession as Atletico are playing at a high tempo. But neither side have created any chances of note so far.

Atletico are pressing in the early stages and are frequently getting the ball into wide areas, especially to Reyes.

Ngog and and Lucas combine but the latter fails to squeeze in a cross from the right.

Atletico win an early free kick half way inside Liverpool's half but Reyes, formerly of Arsenal, floats it out of play.

Atletico kick off and are shooting from left to right in their usual red and white stripes. Liverpool are playing in all black.

After the referee's bizarre pep talk, we are underway in Madrid.

Liverpool, who have beaten Unirea Urziceni, Lille and Benfica to get to the semi-finals, arrived in Madrid on Wednesday after travelling 1200 miles by coach, train and plane.

Having failed to win a match in the Champions League group stages, Quique Sanchez Flores's side dropped into the Europa League.

Atletico are without their own star striker as Argentine Sergio Aguero is suspended, so Jose Manuel Jurado is set to partner Diego Forlan. The Rojiblancos have struggled in La Liga this season, and a defeat at Villarreal on Saturday left them 10th, although they have a Copa del Rey final against Sevilla to look forward to.

Maxi Rodriguez is ineligible to face his former club, while defenders Fabio Aurelio, Emiliano Insua, Martin Skrtel and Martin Kelly are all injured. But Ryan Babel is on the bench after serving a one-match ban.

Liverpool have made the marathon trip to the Vicente Calderon without former Atletico striker Fernando Torres.

Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Babel, Degen, El Zhar, Ayala, Pacheco.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano, Benayoun, Gerrard, Ngog.

Subs: Sergio Asenjo, Valera, Camacho, Salvio, Juanito, Cabrera, Borja.

Atletico Madrid: De Gea, Ujfalusi, Perea, Dominguez, Antonio Lopez, Paulo Assuncao, Simao, Raul Garcia, Reyes, Jurado, Forlan.

Good evening ladies and gents. Join us from 20.05 (BST) for the Europa League semi final 1st leg between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.

This really is an awful game.

Babel motors down the left and finds Gerrard who finds Kuyt, but Kuyt's shot is, predictably, off target.

The referee is having a word with Rafa Benitez on the touchline. Not sure what that was about.

Kuyt was through on goal for a moment but his lack of a left foot lets him down. He gathered the ball and attempted to find Gerrad with a cross but the move breaks down. If only Kuyt had shot with his left.

Liverpool play their way out of trouble after some good Atletico pressure.

Kuyt puts a cross in from the left, finding Babel. Babel was initially in a great position in the box but was forced wide and eventually loses the ball.

Jurado is fouled on the half way line.

Liverpool sub: Babel on for Ngog.

Gerrard shoots from the halway line after seeing De Gea off his line. The ball sails just over. Worth an effort.

And Diego Forlan has picked up a telephone on the pitch. Curious.

Reyes drops the shoulder and shows great skill to get away from Benayoun but his throughball is overhit. Lovely technique from Reyes though.

That save could prove crucial come the end of this tie.

Wonderful save by Reina. Johnson slipped as the cross came in from the right giving Simao a chance to shoot from close range at the far post. But Reina makes a fantastic reflex save to keep it 1-0.

Jurado is caught late from behind by Kyrgiakos. Free kick, but again, no yellow.

Forlan was onside and didn't seem to realise how much time he had to turn and shoot. Instead he tried to prod the ball over Reina, which didn't come off.

Benitez has clearly told his side to step up their attack in the second half.

Gerrard sprays the ball to Kuyt on the right but it is overhit by Gerrard.

Gerrard seemed to be through on goal but Perea came from nowhere to make a great tackle. Goal-saving tackle from Perea on the edge of the box there.

Confident start to the second half by Liverpool. Benayoun puts a nice ball into the path of Kuyt but Kuyt is muscled out of it.

Gerrard bursts forward and seemed to be barged over on the edge of the box, but again the ref is unimpressed.

Jurado teases Mascherano with some beautiful skill but Ngog is fouled and Liverpool clear.

Liverpool, in their all black strip, kick off the second half.

And that's the end of a tepid first half. Join me in 15 minutes for the second half.

Gerrard forces a throw when it appeared to be a corner.

Perea concedes a throw deep in the Atletico half.

Ujfalusi breaks forward and twists and turns his way into a shooting position from the right in the penalty box but fires it into the side netting.

Mascherano is caught very late as Liverpool were breaking. No yellow card, which is surprising.

Agger has fouled Raul Garcia and Atletico can mount an attack here.

Kuyt bursts forward with real purpose and finds Gerrard, who can't get his ball out to Johnson on the right. Good play by Liverpool though.

Gerrard shows great movement by getting behind Lopez at left back, but the ball to him was way off target.

Liverpool claim a penalty after the ball seemed to brush an arm. Benayoun's protests fall on deaf ears.

Antonio Lopez gets away with a foul on Kuyt. Lopez definitely brought down the dutchman in the Atletico half.

Johnson watches the ball roll out for a goal kick under pressure from Assuncao.

Assuncao and Reyes link well but the Atletico move breaks down.

Still, neither side have settled into a rhythm.

Atletico have another appeal turned down on the edge of the box, after Reyes appeared to have been tripped. I would say another good decision from the ref but the home fans are making themselves heard.

Simao releases Forlan who may have been fouled on the edge of the box but the ref waves play on. The home fans are insensed but it was just a shoulder.

Atletico are keeping the ball in their half of the pitch under little pressure.

Gerrard looks to release Ngog, but Ngog miscontrols it and the chance goes begging.

Kuyt lays the ball to Gerrard just outside the box, who can't quite bring it under control after trying to dribble his way through the Atletico defence. He forces a corner deep in Atletico territory.

Liverpool are building patiently, going forward, back and sideways, but not really penetrating the Atletico defence.

Reyes tries a very very optimistic shot from all of 40 yards. Always rising, never going in.

Forlan tries to find Simao in an attacking position on the Atletico left, but Forlan overhits it. Much to the relief of Glen Johnson.

Gerrard is released and has to take his shot first time, with his left foot inside the left side of the penalty box. His shot hits the side netting. Not a bad effort under pressure from Ujfalusi and Perea.

Indeed, replays have shown that when Kuyt played the ball to Benayoun he was level. Poor decision.

And Benayoun put the ball into the Atletico net, but is flagged for offside. That was close.

After a poor start, Liverpool are dragging themselves back into this one.

Atletico are looking dangerous on the break with Reyes.

Liverpool are enjoying their first period of possession, almost 15 minutes into the game.

Liverpool are at sixes and sevens.

And Reina miscatches a bread and butter cross and fumbles it out for a needless corner.

Kyrgiakos clears with Forlan in his shadow. Kyrgiakos looks decidedly uncomfortable in these opening stages.

And Liverpool look to get back into this straight away. Johnson crosses from the right and the ball is flicked clear.

Terrible goal to concede from Liverpool's point of view. Carragher, who was scampering back on the goalline trying to clear, was livid with Kyrgiakos.

And it's Forlan! Jurado stretched his legs down the left and put a cross into a totally unmarked Diego Forlan, who misheaded it but had a second bite at it after Kyrgiakos wasn't quick enough to close down. Forlan bundled it in in the end.

GOAL! 1-0 Atletico

Atletico look to be attacking Liverpool's left side through Reyes as often as possible. The Spaniard tries to skip his way infield but it met by Gerrard.

Liverpool finding it hard to gain possession as Atletico are playing at a high tempo. But neither side have created any chances of note so far.

Atletico are pressing in the early stages and are frequently getting the ball into wide areas, especially to Reyes.

Ngog and and Lucas combine but the latter fails to squeeze in a cross from the right.

Atletico win an early free kick half way inside Liverpool's half but Reyes, formerly of Arsenal, floats it out of play.

Atletico kick off and are shooting from left to right in their usual red and white stripes. Liverpool are playing in all black.

After the referee's bizarre pep talk, we are underway in Madrid.

Liverpool, who have beaten Unirea Urziceni, Lille and Benfica to get to the semi-finals, arrived in Madrid on Wednesday after travelling 1200 miles by coach, train and plane.

Having failed to win a match in the Champions League group stages, Quique Sanchez Flores's side dropped into the Europa League.

Atletico are without their own star striker as Argentine Sergio Aguero is suspended, so Jose Manuel Jurado is set to partner Diego Forlan. The Rojiblancos have struggled in La Liga this season, and a defeat at Villarreal on Saturday left them 10th, although they have a Copa del Rey final against Sevilla to look forward to.

Maxi Rodriguez is ineligible to face his former club, while defenders Fabio Aurelio, Emiliano Insua, Martin Skrtel and Martin Kelly are all injured. But Ryan Babel is on the bench after serving a one-match ban.

Liverpool have made the marathon trip to the Vicente Calderon without former Atletico striker Fernando Torres.

Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Babel, Degen, El Zhar, Ayala, Pacheco.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano, Benayoun, Gerrard, Ngog.

Subs: Sergio Asenjo, Valera, Camacho, Salvio, Juanito, Cabrera, Borja.

Atletico Madrid: De Gea, Ujfalusi, Perea, Dominguez, Antonio Lopez, Paulo Assuncao, Simao, Raul Garcia, Reyes, Jurado, Forlan.

Good evening ladies and gents. Join us from 20.05 (BST) for the Europa League semi final 1st leg between Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.