Atletico Madrid player banned from playing Liverpool in Champions League due to bizarre rule

An Atletico Madrid player has been banned from facing Liverpool in the Champions League due to a bizarre rule.

Liverpool get their Champions League campaign underway on Wednesday night as they welcome European rivals Atletico Madrid to Anfield.

Julian Alvarez is among the big-name players set to feature in the match, but one of his Atletico Madrid teammates has been banned from featuring in the match due to an unbelievable situation.

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The bizarre rule that has banned Arnau Ortiz from Liverpool v Atletico Madrid

With the likes of Man City, Real Madrid and Aston Villa all picking up wins in their opening matches on Tuesday, the pressure is on Liverpool and Atletico Madrid to pick up a win in their clash.

It therefore is a major blow to Liverpool that star winger Cody Gakpo, who has started the season in fine form, missed training earlier in the week, albeit as a precaution.

But Liverpool aren't the only side without a star player for the fixture, as Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone was forced to leave left winger Arnau Ortiz out of his travelling squad for the trip to Anfield.

Ortiz has featured in three of Atletico Madrid's four La Liga matches so far this season and, although he is fully fit and able to play, he has been ruled out of the Liverpool clash due to a historic ban dating back to two years ago.

The incident in question happened when the forward was playing for Polish side Slask Wroclaw in the UEFA Conference League back in in August 2024.

During a match against Swiss club St Gallen, Ortiz was sent off after receiving two yellow cards, meaning he would be banned from his next European fixture.

However, because Slask Wroclaw went on to lose the fixture and crash out of the Conference League, he has been unable to feature in continental competition, leaving his suspension unserved.

Until now, as Ortiz can sit out of Atletico's trip to Anfield to serve the ban on Wednesday night, having joined the Spanish side's reserve team from Slask Wroclaw in September 2025 ahead of being promoted to the first team ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Simeone will also be without Alexander Sorloth for the fixture, while teenage forward Miguel Cubo has been omitted from the squad.

This means that Alvarez, who made his first appearance since the controversial summer transfer saga to a booing away crowd last weekend, is expected to start at Anfield.

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Liverpool v Atletico Madrid sets up Champions League fixture ban

And Ortiz isn't the only one falling foul of a strange ban due to Liverpool's Anfield clash with Atleti, as the match now means that the Reds would be banned from drawing the Spanish side at home next season, should they both qualify for the Champions League again.

That's because Liverpool and Atletico Madrid met each other in the exact same fixture last year, with the hosts winning the fixture 3-2.

But the fixture will be banned from taking place next season, as a new UEFA rule states that the same specific league phase match cannot be repeated with the same home team at the same venue for three consecutive seasons.

Therefore, if Liverpool are to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next season, it will be at Metropolitano Stadium, regardless of how the teams are drawn.