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Iraola’s first Anfield match as Liverpool manager ends in Monaco defeat

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • Liverpool's new manager Andoni Iraola saw his team lose their first Anfield match 3-2 to Monaco in a pre-season friendly.
  • The team squandered a two-goal lead for the second consecutive week, with Monaco scoring a late winner.
  • Iraola acknowledged the team's fatigue and the need for more training, but saw positives despite the negatives.

New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola's debut at Anfield ended in a disappointing 3-2 friendly defeat against Monaco. The Reds conceded a two-goal advantage for the second week running, mirroring their loss to Leeds in Chicago.

I think we played really good (in the) first half, especially the first 30 minutes, but right now probably we don’t have much more in terms of the level required to play like this.

— Andoni IraolaLiverpool's manager reflects on his team's performance in the friendly match.

Liverpool took an early lead through Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, but Monaco fought back. Aleksandr Golovin converted a penalty, and Mika Biereth equalized before Paris Brunner scored a late winner. Iraola made wholesale changes at halftime, introducing new signing Victor Munoz.

"I think we played really good (in the) first half, especially the first 30 minutes," Iraola said. "But right now probably we don’t have much more in terms of the level required to play like this." He acknowledged Monaco's second-half superiority, stating they "deserved to turn around the game."

Then they (Monaco) were much better in the second half, in the same way we were better in the first half, they were much better in the second half, and they deserved to turn around the game, yes.

— Andoni IraolaIraola acknowledges Monaco's dominance in the second half.

Captain Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Cody Gakpo featured for the first time since the World Cup. Iraola noted that while the returning players were mostly in good condition, they lacked the stamina for a full 90 minutes. "It will take time with them, we need more training with them," he added. "But we can take a lot of positives, but also a lot of negatives from today."

I think the ones that it was their first game, or even the ones that it was their second game, they had energy. The problem is right now probably they don’t have the energy for 90 minutes and they start to get tired.

— Andoni IraolaThe manager discusses the fitness levels of players returning from the World Cup.

Liverpool will begin their Premier League campaign against Newcastle on August 23.

It will take time with them, we need more training with them. But we can take a lot of positives, but also a lot of negatives from today.

— Andoni IraolaIraola assesses the team's current state after the friendly match.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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