Liverpool's Iraola dismisses injury worries over Barcola
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola played down injury worries over new signing Bradley Barcola after he was forced off in the 2-1 Champions League victory over Atlético Madrid. The France international impressed on his full debut for the club following his late move from Paris St Germain in a £123-million ($167 million) deal and with better finishing could have had a hat-trick.
Liverpool's new signing, Bradley Barcola, saw a scare during his debut against Atlético Madrid as he was substituted in the first half with a left calf complaint. The France international had not played since a World Cup third-place playoff and was later seen receiving treatment for an injury. However, head coach Andoni Iraola dismissed concerns, stating it was likely just cramp and no serious injury.
Iraola emphasized the importance of building Barcola's physical condition, noting he had only played 30 minutes in pre-season for his previous club Paris St Germain. The coach was pleased Barcola had two clear chances against the goalkeeper, despite not scoring. Fellow forward Cody Gakpo, who has a 50-50 chance of playing against Fulham, was also doubtful for Saturday's match due to adductor niggles.
Liverpool bounced back from an early goal conceded by Marcos Llorente, scoring twice in quick succession through Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. Manager Iraola praised the midfielders' goal-scoring ability and acknowledged Atlético's lack of concentration as the game progressed.
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