Barcola - Liverpool
Barcola - Liverpool
Liverpool return to Premier League action on Saturday when Fulham visit Anfield, three days after a dramatic Champions League opener under the lights.
Andoni Iraola’s side head into the 3pm kickoff unbeaten in the league so far this season, having followed back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest with a 2-0 win at Ipswich Town.
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Fulham arrive on Merseyside in very different form. Alvaro Arbeloa’s team have lost all three of their opening fixtures, including a pair of 3-2 defeats to Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
But the build-up to this weekend’s fixture has been dominated by one story from Wednesday night’s Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid.
Bradley Barcola is expected to be fit for Liverpool’s Premier League clash against Fulham this weekend.
The France international was handed his full Liverpool debut in the 2-1 comeback win over Atletico Madrid, though he was substituted on the hour mark in a moment that sparked fears of an injury blow.
Barcola went down holding his left calf and received treatment from Liverpool’s medical staff before being replaced by fellow summer signing Victor Munoz. He was able to leave the pitch on his own feet.
Andoni Iraola moved quickly to ease concerns after the match. “No, it is cramp. It is just cramp, there is no injury,” the Liverpool head coach said in his post-match press conference.
Iraola explained the decision was about managing Barcola’s workload rather than reacting to any fitness concern.
“With Bradley, it’s about building his physical condition,” he said.
“We don’t really know – or we didn’t know until now, probably – how much he can play because he hasn’t had any minutes in pre-season for PSG.”
The head coach added: “He played 30 the other day [and] today we had some question marks, how many minutes he can give us and probably now we know.”
Milos Kerkez was also withdrawn late on against Atletico Madrid, with Iraola giving the same explanation.
“Milos and Bradley were just cramping, were just tired,” he said. Kerkez is expected to keep his place at left-back for the Fulham game.
Barcola’s £123million move from Paris Saint-Germain was completed on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window, and he made his first Liverpool appearance off the bench in the win at Ipswich before starting against Atletico Madrid.
Liverpool’s Wednesday night win was secured through goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister, after Marcos Llorente had given Atletico an early lead.
Cody Gakpo remains a genuine doubt for the Fulham fixture. He missed the Atletico Madrid game with an adductor issue picked up against Ipswich, and Iraola has described him as a 50/50 call for the weekend.
Iraola is expected to provide a further fitness update on his squad today, including Barcola, ahead of Saturday’s 3pm kickoff at Anfield.
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