Andoni Iraola has provided a positive update on Bradley Barcola’s fitness after the winger was substituted during Liverpool’s 2-1 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night.
The France international made his first start for the Reds in the Champions League and impressed before being forced off in the 60th minute.
However, asked in his post-match press conference whether he is concerned about Barcola’s condition, Iraola replied: “No, it is cramp. It is just cramp, there is no injury.
“With Bradley, it’s about building his physical condition. We don’t really know – or we didn’t know until now, probably – how much he can play because he hasn’t had any minutes in pre-season for PSG.
“He played 30 the other day [and] today we had some question marks, how many minutes he can give us and probably now we know.
“I’m very happy because also he has had two very clear chances against the ‘keeper. He hasn’t scored, but I want him there.
“There is where he has to make the difference, arriving to those spots, those positions, and I’m very happy because in – I don’t know how many minutes he’s played – two times against the ‘keeper is a good sign with Bradley.”
Liverpool were already without Cody Gakpo, who missed Tuesday’s training session.
Iraola is confident the issue is not serious but remains unsure whether the Dutchman will recover in time for Saturday’s visit of Fulham.
The head coach said: “I don’t know [if he will be back for Fulham]. I hope so, but I don’t know. He doesn’t have a proper injury, but he finished with niggles in both of the adductors the other day.
“We expected to have him for today, [but] it hasn’t been possible. It’s not a big thing, but the problem is we play here [again] in two days and a half.
“I think now is a moment of recovery in these two days. Let’s see how Bradley has finished, how Cody is [and] if he can give us some minutes. If not, Rio, Victor, I think today everyone has done a big effort.
“We need to recover, we need to regroup and think because in two days and a half we play again here [against] Fulham, it’s a very important game again for us. So, I hope we can have Cody with us, but I cannot guarantee it.”
Elsewhere, Milos Kerkez was another player forced off against Atletico, with Kostas Tsimikas replacing him in the 88th minute after receiving treatment.
However, like Barcola, the boss confirmed that the full-back was suffering from cramp.
“Milos and Bradley were just cramping [and] were just tired,” Iraola stated. “I think I always want to do subs because of this, because you’ve given everything, you don’t have any more, perfect.
“We do the subs, not because you haven’t run and I have to sub you. So, I prefer when you’ve done everything you can and then we sub you because you cannot run anymore.”
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