Liverpool go welcome Villarreal to Anfield on Tuesday night for dia third Champions League league-phase match, with kick-off set for 8pm BST. Di game go put Andoni Iraola against im former assistant Iñigo Pérez for di first time.
Pérez now dey lead Villarreal. He bin work under Iraola at Rayo Vallecano before Iraola move to Bournemouth in 2023. Pérez initially try to follow im boss to di English south coast but dem refuse am work permit. He later take di Rayo Vallecano job and guide dem to Conference League final last season, before Villarreal appoint am as Marcelino successor in June.
Iraola talk say di match go be ‘a little bit strange’ because di two men close, and e note say di Villarreal boss ‘knows everything’ about him. ‘We’ve been through a lot of things together, so it is also a privilege for me to face him in a Champions League game,’ na wetin Iraola talk on Monday.
Liverpool enter di game after two straight Champions League wins. Dem beat Atlético Madrid 2-1 at Anfield on Matchday 1, then thrash LASK 6-3. For di weekend, di Reds come from behind to beat Brentford, and dem dey fifth for di league-phase table after two rounds. Villarreal beat Napoli 3-1 last week, dia first Champions League win since 2022, but di club dey mid-table for La Liga.
Iraola confirm say Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong no go play Tuesday match after both pick injuries for Saturday comeback win against Brentford. Frimpong get new muscle injury, and Iraola say e ‘difficult’ to see di right-back return ‘before the break’ from internationals. That one mean say Frimpong no likely to dey available before Liverpool face Manchester United for Premier League on 22 November. For Szoboszlai, Iraola talk say he no ready to return at Brentford after im recent thigh injury, and Liverpool go need more patience. Di preview report also talk say di hamstring issue still dey linger.
Dem expect Ryan Gravenberch to return to midfield after he serve one-match suspension at weekend. Alexander Isak set to lead Liverpool line, while Bradley Barcola dey among di players wey fit get rest as Iraola likely rotate.
Liverpool last face Villarreal for di 2021-22 Champions League semifinal, win 5-2 over two legs before losing di final to Real Madrid.
