Iraola in a tricky position against LASK: significant absences and doubts over Van Dijk

Liverpool manager defends Wirtz and Barcola

Liverpool travelled to Austria to face LASK in their first away match in the Champions League this season. The squad left for Austria without the injured trio: Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai.

All three had also missed Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League.

Manager Andoni Iraola admitted in his pre-match press conference that he was unsure when the trio would return, but he confirmed it would not take long for them to be ready, according to Sky Sports.

He said: "They are not far away, but it is difficult for me to tell you now. None of the three have trained with the group. We are taking it day by day, and I do not know whether they will be ready for Brentford, Villarreal or Brighton."

Virgil van Dijk complained of a painful injury to his leg after the City match, Iraola pointed out, yet the defender still made the 23-man squad.

Next matches

LAS

Champions League

14 Oct 2026

12:45

LIV

Three youngsters got the call. Jayden Danns, Wellity Lucky and Josh Sonni-Lambie all travelled after Wataru Endo and Federico Chiesa were left out of Liverpool's Champions League list.

Full confidence in Wirtz and Barcola

Iraola also backed Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola to the hilt, both having come in for criticism over their level since arriving in deals exceeding £100 million.

Iraola said: "It is true that Cody, Alex and Dom are our main scorers this season, because they are the ones who have played most in those positions. We need other players to give us those numbers, and we trust the players who are available now."

He added: "Bradley and Flo (Wirtz) have had good games and bad games like everyone else, but we know their level, and we are completely confident that they will produce good performances."

On Wirtz specifically, he said: "Maybe he did not play his best match, but he has played good games with us this season. Everyone starts looking for answers. I think he performed well with his national team and scored a goal. He will have better and worse matches, but I like to look at it collectively."

Expected changes

Linz is Liverpool's second of six games in 18 days, and Iraola confirmed he would shuffle the line-up.

He said: "Because of keeping players fresh and some minor aches, it will be difficult to field the same starting eleven tomorrow."

He added: "We want to win and we want to start strongly in the Champions League. We got our first win and we want the second, because we are aiming to win as many matches as possible."

journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.

I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.

Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.

My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019."I don't just cover stories, I find them where others aren't looking, then reshape them until they're worth reading.

with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.

My Story with Soccer

My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.

As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.

My Best Soccer Memories

Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.

My All-Time Team

Buffon

Cafu - Paolo Maldini - Ramos - Roberto Carlos

Zinedine Zidane - Iniesta

Diego Maradona

Lionel Messi - Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” - Cristiano Ronaldo

My Favorite Articles:

The Ronaldo Mystery... Death in a Foreign Land!

Third dimension.. Barefoot... Has Messi Really Settled

The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?

(2) Messi Chases Pelé... Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?

Third dimension: The Terrifying Test... Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years