Andoni Iraola has provided an update on Liverpool forward Bradley Barcola ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Brighton
Bradley Barcola
Bradley Barcola
Andoni Iraola has provided a positive fitness update on Liverpool forward Bradley Barcola ahead of Sunday’s Premier League clash with Brighton.
The summer signing was not spotted in training on Thursday, with Sky Sports reporting that he was taking part in an individual recovery session.
Barcola scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 6-3 win over LASK on October 14 before starting against Brentford, where he set up Alexander Isak’s winning goal. He then came off the bench in the 73rd minute of the match against Villarreal.
Iraola explained that Barcola and Florian Wirtz would have been making their fourth starts in 10 days and that both players finished the Brentford match feeling tired.
Barcola’s fitness has been monitored since his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain, having not played since the World Cup before joining Liverpool.
The France international also suffered cramp during a match against Atletico Madrid in September, with Iraola explaining at the time that the focus was on building up his physical condition.
However, with Brighton visiting on Sunday, the Liverpool head coach has offered encouraging news regarding the forward’s availability.
“Bradley has trained today as normal. No problem. Sometimes we just have to, you know, with the workloads, but he is fine,” Iraola said.
Liverpool are still expected to be without Dominik Szoboszlai, while Victor Munoz is also a doubt for the weekend fixture.
Providing an update on Szoboszlai, Iraola confirmed that the midfielder would miss Sunday’s game but suggested that his return was approaching.
“Dom is going to be out this weekend. I don’t think he’s far, but he hasn’t trained with the group yet,” he said.
“Also, considering the other day that we started him and he had to go out, we will probably take one or two days more than we would last week.
“He’s in a good place. Dom is already training outside alone and is going to train with the group, but he’s not ready for this one.”
Meanwhile, Munoz is struggling with discomfort following a knock sustained against Brentford.
“Victor, he has the knock he received against Brentford in the first half. He could finish the game very well,” Iraola said.
“But he’s been dealing with some pain since then, and it was too early the other day against Villarreal.
“I don’t know if he’s going to arrive. I think it’s going to be difficult, but I really don’t know.”
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