A Diego Forlan strike means Liverpool will have to overturn a 1-0 deficit at Anfield next week if they are to reach the Europa League final.
The Reds head back to Merseyside with little to show for their tribulations over the last few days - but they will still fancy their chances of making Hamburg on May 12 if they can maintain their excellent home form.
Atletico's nickname, Los Colchoneros, translates into English as The Mattress Makers - an apt coincidence considering their opponents had barely seen a bed over the previous 72 hours.
Rafa Benitez insisted beforehand that the jaunt from Runcorn to Madrid could not be used as an excuse if Liverpool came back without a positive result.
That said, it's hard to believe 24 hours on the road did not affect the Reds physically and mentally - just like similar trips seemed to impact upon Lyon and Barcelona this week.
The game - as Benitez predicted - got off to a cagey start on a heavy Vicente Calderon pitch until Jose Manuel Jurado's square ball caused mayhem in the Reds box on eight minutes.
Former United striker Forlan sniffed his 20th goal of the campaign and was not to be thwarted by Jamie Carragher's efforts to clear off the line.
Liverpool had yet to win a competitive match in their black away kit, and they now faced an uphill battle to do so in a stadium where no English team had ever claimed victory.
They almost fashioned an immediate response, however, when Glen Johnson crossed to Yossi Benayoun at the far post. Sadly for the visitors, the Israel captain could not direct his header the right side of the woodwork.
Benayoun did get the ball in the back of the net on 18 minutes after some nice play by Dirk Kuyt before being wrongly denied by an offside flag.
Lucas then lofted a sweet pass over the home rearguard for the onrushing Steven Gerrard, but the Liverpool skipper could only hit the side netting with his left foot.
At the other end, Atletico might have doubled their advantage shortly before the break when Tomas Ujfalusi weaved his way through the Liverpool defence before himself hitting the side of the net from an acute angle.
Forlan had a superb opportunity to notch his second eight minutes after the restart but lacked composure with only Pepe Reina to beat.
Next, Simao forced a world-class save from Reina with a far-post volley after Ujfalusi's well aimed cross.
Benitez spent some of the trip over to his homeland playing cards, and he chose the 64th minute to shuffle his pack here by swapping Ngog for Ryan Babel.
But it was Atletico who continued to apply pressure when an Ujfalusi thunderbolt drew another save from Reina followed by a brilliant clearance by Carragher with 15 minutes remaining.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos was booked for protesting for a penalty after going down in the box on 83 minutes, shortly before Nabil El Zhar replaced Benayoun.
Gerrard almost saved the day with an enticing ball across goal but Johnson was beaten to it by a defender.
Liverpool couldn't find a leveller, meaning Atletico finished the night with only their second European victory of 2009-10.
Story from: www.liverpoolfc.tvAuthor: Jimmy Rice in Madrid
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