Andoni Iraola has defended his rotation policy for the Champions League, insisting his Liverpool squad will feel the benefit over the course of the season following its first European defeat this week
ISTANBUL, TURKIYE - NOVEMBER 4: Andoni Iraola of Liverpool follows the UEFA Champions League week 4 football match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool at Chobani Stadium in Istanbul, Turkiye on November 4, 2026. (Photo by Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola(Image: Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola has stood by his rotation strategy for the Champions League, maintaining his Liverpool squad will reap the rewards throughout the campaign.
Iraola made five alterations from the side that suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League last week as the Reds went down 3-2 to Fenerbahce in Turkey on Wednesday. Bradley Barcola toiled in an unaccustomed center-forward position and deputy left-back Kostas Tsimikas endured a challenging evening against former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood.
Iraola also made five switches from the side that triumphed at Brentford last month for the visit of Villarreal in the Champions League and saw his team slip two goals behind before ultimately securing a 4-3 victory at Anfield.
However, Iraola insists he and the coaching staff are adopting a long-term approach to how they are deploying the available players as they prepare to face Crystal Palace on Sunday ahead of the international break, reports the Liverpool Echo.
"I think obviously we are changing not just in the defense but overall in the team," Iraola said. "It's quite a lot of rotations and we need to do it.
"We are looking at the mid to long term and it is always good to keep players involved.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 04: Players of Liverpool FC gather before the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD4 match between Fenerbahce SK and Liverpool FC at Fenerbahce Sükrü Saracoglu Spor Kompleksi on November 04, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Ferda Demir/Getty Images)
Andoni Iraola made five changes to his team for the defeat against Fenerbahce(Image: Getty Images)
"But it is true that in the Champions League we have been a lot weaker defensively.
"There are reasons but we will take decisions according to how we see the team, how we see the players, the demands of every game. But it is true that we have rotated quite a lot, yes."
Iraola added: "It's been a strange season in terms of in the Champions League we are scoring a lot, conceding a lot.
"In the Premier League we are scoring less and conceding less. Obviously we want to score a lot and concede less. That's the challenge we have.
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"It is a matter of controlling the games but also sometimes we, for example the other day against Fenerbahce, we were controlling the game, sometimes too much.
"Sometimes we were having possession, having good positions and arriving but sometimes we have to throw numbers inside the box, arrive with more players.
"It will take (away) a little bit of control, yes, but it will give us more threat in the times we arrive. I think, especially against Arsenal, the way we attacked the box, has to be better."