Iraola blames fatigue as Liverpool lose to Monaco

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola admitted his team cannot yet sustain the intensity required at the top level after his side twice surrendered a two-goal lead in their opening pre-season friendly, a 3-2 defeat to Monaco at Anfield.

Fans turned out in huge numbers to greet Iraola on his competitive debut, creating a buzz around a new era at the club. But the 3-0 lead after 55 minutes slipped away as fatigue set in, raising questions about squad depth before the Premier League season begins in two weeks. Iraola told LFC TV the issue is not fitness alone but the ability to maintain high standards throughout 90 minutes. “We played a good first half, especially a good 30 minutes,” he said. “Right now we probably don’t have much more, in terms of the levels required to play like this. They deserved to turn around the game.”

The defeat follows a similar pattern to last weekend’s loss to Manchester City, where Liverpool also collapsed after going ahead twice. Iraola now has two more pre-season games—against Como on August 16—to address the problem before the league opener at Newcastle. Central defence remains a major concern. Virgil van Dijk partnered teenage trialist Ifeanyi Ndukwe in defence, but both were replaced by Luke Chambers and Wataru Endo as Liverpool finished the match short-handed. The club expects Ronald Araujo’s loan from Barcelona to complete soon, with Jeremy Jacquet—recovering from shoulder and minor knee issues—also close to full fitness. “Jeremy Jacquet, we were in doubt whether to put him in,” Iraola said. “We decided not to, but he should be fine for the next one.”

What happens next could shape Liverpool’s title ambitions. If they cannot maintain performance levels in friendlies, the early Premier League fixtures—starting with a trip to Newcastle on August 17—look risky. Iraola wants to build a team the fans can take pride in, and the performances of new signings Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak have offered some optimism despite the loss. Wirtz pulled the strings behind Isak, who scored the first goal with a composed finish, while Wirtz was named Liverpool’s best player. But the drop-off after substitutions shows the work still to be done before the real competition begins.