Liverpool’s Iraola ‘lucky’ after first taste of Champions League

Andoni Iraola, Liverpool's manager, expressed his delight after his first taste of Champions League coaching with the Reds' 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid at Anfield. The match started poorly for Liverpool when Marcos Llorente opened the scoring for Atletico, their fifth goal in three visits to Anfield. However, Dominik Szoboszlai equalised before halftime and Alexis Mac Allister scored the winning goal in the second half, giving Liverpool a positive start to their Champions League campaign.

Iraola, who had never previously coached in Europe's top competition, acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and praised his team's character. He particularly highlighted the strength shown by his players after a tough start, stating, "It's difficult to ask for more." Iraola described the atmosphere as "incredible" and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, saying, "I feel lucky, lucky to experience it."

The win came at a cost, as new signing Bradley Barcola, who cost Liverpool £123 million (US$167 million), limped off in the hour mark with cramp. Iraola explained that Barcola was rushed in due to his lack of pre-season play, but ultimately decided to give him whatever he had left. He emphasized that Barcola's contribution was valuable, stating, "That's the most he has and let's see how they recover for the next one because we play in three days again."