Bradley Barcola will make his first appearance in a Liverpool starting lineup when they host Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday.
Liverpool will aim to continue the unbeaten start to the 2026/27 season and kick off the UEFA Champions League campaign on a high note when they welcome Atletico Madrid to Anfield on Wednesday. Andoni Iraola has a new issue to worry about ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Per Paul Joyce, Cody Gakpo was absent from training on Tuesday, though it was precautionary. However, there is some good news, as Paul Joyce reported that Joe Gomez has resumed training and has started building up his fitness.
So, Giovanni Leoni, Conor Bradley, Wataru Endo, Hugo Ekitike, and Federico Chiesa are the only players in the treatment room, with Endo and Chiesa not in the Champions League squad. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Iraola discussed whether Bradley Barcola would make his first start for his new club against Atletico Madrid.
The Liverpool head coach said, “Yes, I think he played overall with extra time 31 [minutes] maybe or something like this [at Ipswich]. I think he’s ready to play more minutes. He has been training quite normally. The only thing is he hasn’t had the pre-season minutes that normally players have.”
“We have to consider this, but I see him in a really good place. I think he can play more minutes definitely. I don’t see him like limited, no, I see him like a normal player with this circumstance that he hasn’t had a lot of pre-season minutes to build his form. But I saw him playing very well and I think he is ready to play more, yes.”
Alisson Becker is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Liverpool lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. The backline will feature Jeremie Frimpong, Jeremy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, and Milos Kerkez.
As for the midfield unit, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister will pair up in the double pivot, with Ryan Gravenberch missing out again. Florian Wirtz will reprise the no. 10 role, with Bradley Barcola and Cody Gakpo being the two wide attackers; Victor Munoz will be waiting in the wings if Gakpo is not fit enough to start. Finally, Alexander Isak will lead the line for the home side against Atletico Madrid.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Alisson; Frimpong, Jacquet, van Dijk, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola; Isak
