Iraola flags Liverpool fitness concerns with squad changes

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has warned that his team must improve their fitness if they are to play the style he wants, following back-to-back pre-season defeats.

Iraola's side twice took the lead in friendlies, only to throw away their advantage. Against Leeds, they lost 4-2 after leading 2-0. Against Monaco on Sunday, they went from 2-0 up to a 3-2 loss. The Spaniard admitted his players "don’t have much more, in terms of the levels required to play like this" as the game goes on. The Premier League season starts in two weeks.

Liverpool’s first halves against Leeds and Monaco showed the best football of their pre-season, with quick passing, pressing and two new signings—Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak—looking sharp. But as Iraola made nine changes against Leeds and eleven against Monaco, Liverpool faded badly. Leeds scored four in 25 minutes without reply. Monaco scored three unanswered goals in 44 minutes. The manager said his side played well for the first 30 minutes against Monaco but couldn’t sustain the intensity. The squad is still rebuilding after the World Cup break, with Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni sidelined long-term. Virgil van Dijk said any quality additions would be welcome but added: “Let’s see what the next couple of weeks are going to bring.”

Iraola’s fitness-first approach is no secret. His assistant Pablo de la Torre joined from Bournemouth, where he was the club’s fitness coach. Liverpool’s training sessions have been intense, with players sprinting as punishment and suffering through gruelling drills. One player said he felt sick after the first few sessions. Milos Kerkez described Iraola’s demands: press high, play one-on-one all over the pitch, always stay on the front foot. The new manager’s Bournemouth side led the Premier League in direct attacks and ranked third for high turnovers last season. It took Iraola 10 games to secure his first win at Bournemouth. A similar start at Liverpool could spell trouble early in the Premier League.