Andoni Iraola makes his first Anfield appearance as Liverpool’s head coach against Monaco, marking only his fourth visit in his managerial career.
While the Spaniard’s competitive home debut will have to wait until Nottingham Forest‘s visit in the Premier League on August 29, the friendly against Monaco will still mark his Anfield bow.
The Spaniard was appointed two months ago after he left Bournemouth, a club he took to Anfield on three occasions during his three-year stint on the south coast.
He came up against Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot between 2023 and 2025 and did not manage to secure a victory.
|||||
Date Match Result Competition
Aug 19, 2023 Liverpool 3-1 Bournemouth L Premier League
Sep 21, 2024 Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth L Premier League
Aug 16, 2025 Liverpool 4-2 Bournemouth L Premier League
In his first trip to Merseyside, however, his side took the lead inside three minutes via Antoine Semenyo, only for three unanswered Liverpool goals to follow.
Luis Diaz, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota guided Klopp’s side to three points in the first home game of the 2023/24 season, which proved to be the German’s last campaign.
On Iraola’s second visit to Anfield in 2024, Slot watched his side bounce back from their shock defeat against Nottingham Forest to secure a 3-0 win.
The match was all but over in the first half with Luis Diaz (twice) and Darwin Nunez scoring within 11 minutes. The Reds finished the season as champions and the Cherries a record-breaking ninth.
Federico Chiesa celebrates vs Bournemouth, Anfield (Alamy Images)
Federico Chiesa celebrates vs Bournemouth, Anfield (Alamy Images)
Liverpool’s new head coach came the closest to taking something away from Anfield at the start of last season, with the match tied at 2-2 in the 87th minute.
On an emotional opening day of the campaign, Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo got on the scoresheet first before a double from Semenyo levelled the scores with 14 minutes left.
Federico Chiesa popped up with the winner, however, to send Anfield into ecstasy before Mo Salah made sure of a 4-2 win in stoppage time – leaving Iraola winless again.
The expectation is his record will soon change, though the Spaniard will have plenty of wet and windy winter nights to look forward to after only ever visiting Anfield in August or September!
What Andoni Iraola has had to say about Anfield
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, August 19, 2023: Bournemouth's manager Andoni Iraola during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 3-1. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
After his first Anfield match against Klopp’s side in 2023, Iraola said:
“(For) some players it was their first performance here in Anfield.
“You feel the pressure when they are pushing, when we started winning they had some set-pieces.
“But we knew before coming that it was going to be like this and I think the team showed the personality, but probably we weren’t effective enough.”
In 2025, he noted the change in atmosphere from a day game to an evening kickoff:
“Also the last two seasons, we’ve been here I think in like games at 2 o’clock or something like this, [it is a] completely different atmosphere (at night).
“And I think for a player has to be a pleasure playing today here, no? Obviously with this level of the game, of the supporters.”
And after being appointed Liverpool’s new head coach in June, Iraola spoke of earning the right to belong and immersing himself in Anfield’s atmosphere:
“At the beginning when you arrive at any club, I think you need to kind of prove a little bit yourself. You need to earn the right also to belong.
“I want to do this as quickly as possible so I can also celebrate with them and I can be part properly of those celebrations.”
Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v Brentford FC
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister ties his boot lace before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona
Ronald Araujo of FC Barcelona (Image: PRESSINPHOTO SPORTS AGENCY/Alamy Live News)
Football – Pre-Season – Liverpool USA Tour Day 6 – Liverpool FC v AFC Sunderland
NASHVILLE, USA - Saturday, July 25, 2026: Liverpool's Josh Abe during a friendly match between Liverpool FC and AFC Sunderland at the Nashville SC Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)