Liverpool's Pre-Season Friendly: Injury Apology and Performance Insights
LFCTV issued an on-air apology after accidentally broadcasting a gruesome injury to a Como defender during Liverpool’s pre-season friendly on Sunday.
The Reds faced the Italian side, coached by Cesc Fabregas, twice in one day. A mixed Liverpool XI met the newly promoted Champions League outfit at the AXA Training Centre in Kirkby in a 70-minute behind-closed-doors game, before a more senior team took them on later at Anfield in front of supporters.
Horror moment in low-key friendly
The early match finished 0-0 and, for the most part, drifted along with few clear chances. Alexis Mac Allister, Federico Chiesa, Kostas Tsimikas and summer signing Victor Munoz all started, adding top-level quality to what was essentially a training-ground workout.
Then came the moment that made everyone wince.
Alberto Dossena challenged James McConnell and Will Wright in the air and crashed down awkwardly on his hand. He stayed down on the turf. Cameras zoomed in. The replay showed a clearly dislocated finger.
Lead LFCTV commentator John Bradley reacted instantly: “That's a nasty landing. We might need a little stoppage here to get the medical team on. Well yes there you go, he's dislocated his finger.”
Co-commentator Natashia Dowie didn’t sugar-coat it either: “Woah that's not nice.”
The pictures were graphic enough for the channel to move quickly. Presenter Steve Hunter followed up with an apology to viewers: “Apologies if you are just trying to have your lunch or if you're in, who knows, San Diego having a very early breakfast. Sometimes you just see things that make you squirm.”
Play stopped briefly as Dossena received treatment. Bandaged up, the 27-year-old centre-back chose to carry on and saw out the remaining six minutes.
The football itself never really caught fire, but Liverpool could at least point to sharp, energetic displays from Munoz and young midfielder Trey Nyoni as the main positives from a goalless stalemate.
Stronger Liverpool side steps up for Anfield test
The second game of the day had a very different feel.
Andoni Iraola, still shaping his Liverpool in his own image ahead of the new Premier League season, named a stronger XI for the Anfield run-out. New signing Jeremy Jacquet made his first appearance of pre-season, lining up alongside captain Virgil van Dijk at the back.
Recent loan arrival Ronald Araujo was held in reserve on the bench, joined by Lewis Koumas, Munoz, Nyoni, Wright and Mor Talla Ndiaye – all of whom had already put minutes in their legs in the earlier fixture.
For Iraola, the Como double-header formed part of a broader push to sharpen fitness and identity before the serious business starts. Speaking before the friendlies, he had been clear about what he wanted from these games.
“This will be a very good, and very important, test for us as we finalise our preparations for the new Premier League season,” he said, reflecting too on the previous outing against Monaco. “Despite the result, last weekend's game against Monaco brought plenty of positives and plenty of learnings for myself and my staff.
“The first half, and the first 30 minutes in particular, was very pleasing. It was good to see Alexander Isak getting on the scoresheet and looking sharp, and I saw a lot of good things both with and without the ball.
The problem we had, as we had against Leeds in Chicago, was that we were not able to sustain our levels and that is something that can only happen with time, and with a lot of hard work on the training ground.”
That theme – intensity and endurance – is already defining his pre-season.
“I have spoken many times about the type of team I want to see on the pitch, about the intensity, the intent and the energy we are looking for, and while it is clear that there is still a lot of improvement to come, I believe that we are moving in the right direction and I expect that to continue in the coming days and weeks as the season gets under way.
“With Alexis Mac Allister having returned to the AXA Training Centre on Monday, we now have all of our players back after the World Cup, which is of course hugely beneficial.
“There is no doubt in my mind about the quality and the potential we have within our squad, and now it is up to us to show that on a consistent basis going forward.”
A grisly injury, an on-air apology and two very different friendlies in one day – Liverpool’s pre-season is already testing their resolve. The question now is whether this growing edge, and Iraola’s demands for relentless intensity, will carry into the Premier League when the warm-ups are over and the real scrutiny begins.
