Liverpool FC head coach Andoni Iraola issued a bunch of fitness updates in his post-match press conference following the 2-1 victory against Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
Bradley Barcola was forced off the pitch at the hour mark, but it appears to be just cramp according to Iraola:
“No, it is cramp. It is just cramp, there is no injury.
“With Bradley, it’s about building his physical condition. We don’t really know – or we didn’t know until now, probably – how much he can play because he hasn’t had any
minutes in pre-season for PSG.”
“He played 30 the other day [and] today we had some question marks, how many minutes he can give us and probably now we know.”
“I’m very happy because also he has had two very clear chances against the ‘keeper. He hasn’t scored, but I want him there.”
“There is where he has to make the difference, arriving to those spots, those positions, and I’m very happy because in – I don’t know how many minutes he’s played – two times against the ‘keeper is a good sign with Bradley.”
It is a similar story when it comes to Milos Kerkez, who was substituted off at the 88th minute for Kostas Tsimikas:
“Milos and Bradley were just cramping [and] were just tired. I think I always want to do subs because of this, because you’ve given everything, you don’t have any more, perfect.”
“We do the subs, not because you haven’t run and I have to sub you. So, I prefer when you’ve done everything you can and then we sub you because you cannot run anymore.”
As for Cody Gakpo, who sat out the game as a precautionary measure, Iraola does not seem particularly worried, but is unsure if he’d be back for this weekend’s game against Fulham:
“I don’t know [if he will be back for Fulham]. I hope so, but I don’t know. He doesn’t have a proper injury, but he finished with niggles in both of the adductors the other day.”
“We expected to have him for today, [but] it hasn’t been possible. It’s not a big thing, but the problem is we play here [again] in two days and a half.”
“I think now is a moment of recovery in these two days. Let’s see how Bradley has finished, how Cody is [and] if he can give us some minutes. If not, Rio, Victor, I think today everyone has done a big effort.”
“We need to recover, we need to regroup and think because in two days and a half we play again here [against] Fulham, it’s a very important game again for us. So, I hope we can have Cody with us, but I cannot guarantee it.”
Liverpool will be back in action, hosting Fulham at Anfield in Premier League action on Saturday.
