Liverpool face Atletico Madrid at Anfield with Alexander Isak in line for a debut in the Champions League
Alexander Isak of Liverpool during a training session
Alexander Isak could make his Liverpool debut in the Champions League
(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool kickstart their Champions League campaign against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night as Alexander Isak edges closer to a debut for the club. The striker completed a £125m British record transfer on deadline day, but supporters have been made to wait patiently for a first glimpse of the new signing.
As Isak did not complete a conventional pre-season regimen, Sweden took care with his health during the recent international break and so too did Liverpool on their weekend trip to Burnley. The 25-year-old did not actually travel with Arne Slot's squad, who came away from Turf Moor with a last-gasp victory.
Now, the focus switches to the beginning of the Champions League's league phase, with Atleti the visitors to Anfield in the opening round.
Slot has confirmed Isak is set to be involved in the squad to face the La Liga side. The boss said: "There is definitely a chance [Isak will play] because he is in the squad. I can say it is 100% sure he will not play 90 minutes.
"Can he start? The only thing that is sure is that he will not play 90, and all the rest we will see."
That decision, whether Isak is in the starting XI, will have to be announced in the hours before kick-off. For now, the six-time Champions League winners appear to have masked their choice with their new social media hint.
Isak does not appear amongst the five players chosen to represent the Reds on the official matchday graphic posted to the club's social media channels on Wednesday morning.
Neither does fellow summer signing Hugo Ekitike, who might be expected to start centrally in attack if the Swedish international does not feature.
Included in the image itself are five stars who have started each of Liverpool's last three competitive fixtures, therefore might be expected to do so against Atleti on Wednesday night.
They are captain Virgil van Dijk, talisman Mohamed Salah, and midfielders Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Ryan Gravenberch.
The only point to make from this is that Szoboszlai might not actually begin the match in his preferred midfield role. The Hungarian has been turned into a makeshift right-back during Jeremie Frimpong's recent absence due to a hamstring injury.
Conor Bradley was also in the process of returning to full fitness at the time, therefore Slot needed a solution. He found it with Szoboszlai, who scored a winning free-kick against Arsenal before the September international break and produced another impressive performance against Burnley last Sunday.
Frimpong and Bradley have both returned to action with substitute cameos at Turf Moor, but it will be up to Slot's discretion if either are to usurp Szoboszlai.
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