Liverpool has 12 players without international call-ups, including five injured stars, as Andoni Iraola says Federico Chiesa and Giovanni Leoni could return to team training during the break
Andoni Iraola has plenty to work on during the international break
Andoni Iraola has plenty to work on during the international break(Image: Getty Images)
Just five matches into the new Premier League campaign, and the international break has arrived.
And following the combination of the September and October windows, it's a substantial one with nations preparing to compete four times across the coming two weeks. Liverpool entered the break on the back of a victory, with a 1-0 triumph away at Bournemouth, preserving the team's unbeaten start to the campaign under Andoni Iraola.
The Reds will resume action on October 11 when they welcome Manchester City, taking to the pitch following a 21-day absence. The bulk of Iraola's squad have received call-ups from their respective nations. However, a small number will be left at a loose end before club football resumes.
Iraola confirmed that Liverpool would continue training at the AXA Training Centre throughout the break, though he acknowledged his non-internationals would also be granted time off when addressing the media following his side's victory at Bournemouth.
"We will still train, but it's true that we are training with four or five players because most of the team is playing with the national team," he said. "The players will have now some days off and then we will keep working with the ones that stay.
"Then we will prepare well for when the others come and you have no more than three days probably to prepare for the City game. We are ready not just for that game, but for the run of games that we have that is going to be demanding."
Alisson will not play for Brazil during this international break
Alisson will not play for Brazil during this international break(Image: Getty Images)
In reality, Iraola may have underestimated when suggesting only four or five players would remain, with Liverpool actually retaining as many as 12 players not selected for international duty — although this figure does include several injured stars.
Alisson was amongst a group of experienced players omitted from the Brazil squad by Carlo Ancelotti as the Italian manager seized the chance to assess the next generation, while Wataru Endo stepped away from international football after accepting he wouldn't recover in time to represent Japan at this summer's World Cup.
In addition to those two, Joe Gomez, Freddie Woodman, Luke Chambers, James McConnell and Jayden Danns have likewise not received international call-ups.
Meanwhile, Conor Bradley, Federico Chiesa, Giovanni Leoni, Hugo Ekitike and Vitezslav Jaros all remained unavailable due to injury, with the five-strong group continuing their recovery work throughout the international window.
Nevertheless, the Italian duo could make significant progress over the coming weeks, with Iraola having previously indicated they were expected to rejoin full squad training during the international break.
"I think the next one probably should be Giovanni Leoni," the Basque coach disclosed earlier this month. "I think the plan is also to start training during the break, with the group. I think even Fede should be around those dates."
Alisson will likely be granted an extended break compared to his colleagues, with Liverpool handling the Brazilian cautiously following periods marred by injuries in recent campaigns. However, with Endo, Gomez, Danns, Chiesa and Leoni all playing catch-up following enforced spells on the sidelines during Iraola's tenure to date, the international break could offer the five players an ideal chance to make their mark on their new head coach during training sessions.
Elsewhere, the likes of Harvey Davies and several of Liverpool's younger talents are expected to feature in training alongside Iraola's remaining senior squad members.
While Kaide Gordon, Owen Beck and Josh Abe remain sidelined through long-term injury, the likes of Mor Talla Ndiaye, Will Wright, Josh Sonnie-Lambie, Lucas Pitt, Wellity Lucky and Michael Laffey have all featured with the first team previously and have not received international call-ups during the current break.