IMAGO / Branislav Racko
Oct 15, 2026 12:29 PM
Andoni Iraola has spoken to the media ahead of his side's trip to West London to take on an in-form Brentford team. Here is everything the Reds' head coach had to say prior to this Premier League clash.
Next Up: Brentford (Away)
It is back-to-back away trips for Liverpool, a quick turnaround and a shorter trip to London await as they take on a high-flying Brentford side at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Unbeaten so far this campaign, Brentford will go into this game with full belief and confidence that they can emerge with three points, especially given LFC have had a midweek away game in Europe to contend with.
Andoni Iraola has spoken back at AXA this afternoon in the build up to this fixture.
Andoni Iraola on Injuries
One of the top issues currently facing the Reds boss is a large number of injury issues in one area of the pitch, the attack.
Currently he is without Hugo Ekitike due to a long term issue, and during the international break he lost Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo for an unknown amount of time.
IMAGO / Propaganda Photo Iraola was asked for any update on the duo, and Dominik Szoboszlai, who arrived back from Hungary with muscle tightness:
"It's early for us to say; we have to train tomorrow. They were not ready, so we have to wait and see. Early, but like I said, they were not ready for previous games; I leave the chance open.
"In this period especially, playing every three days, you need more players, and that is why we changed yesterday. We need to change Brentford and then Villarreal too. We need everyone; they need to be ready."
Andoni Iraola on Bouncing Back From City Defeat
While Liverpool returned to winning ways against LASK, scoring six and playing some of the best football fans have seen under Iraola since his arrival, the squad now needs to replicate that against more challenging opponents, and Brentford are certainly that:
"At the end, every time you lose a game, you want to play as quickly as possible. Have a good performance and result, we cannot recover the City points. We lost the game. In the Champions League, it is eight games, so we have to recover, and I am happy with the start we have made."
Andoni Iraola on Brentford
Moving on to a question about our opposition, Brentford have been flying high under Keith Andrews, and have taken an already good season under the Irish head coach in 2025/26, and pushed it to a new level this campaign.
IMAGO / NurPhotoAnd Iraola is fully aware of the quality that the Bees possess:
"They have good players, they understand what they are trying to do. They are runners and a good team."
Andoni Iraola on Schedule Challenges
For the first time in his managerial career, the Spanish coach is facing a relentless schedule, typical of top-level European clubs.
He has highlighted the difficulties with playing two games in four days, but stressed the need for him and the players to adapt to the challenge:
"It's more difficult. We played last night, came here late, we didn't sleep how we normally sleep but this is the challenge of playing. It is almost a constant this season so we have to adapt.
"We have four days in between two games not normal but we have to adapt. We can rest some and give some minutes yesterday, so I expect everyone to be at their best mentally and physically. We have to be ready for a battle."
Andoni Iraola on Jeremie Frimpong
After coming under a lot of scrutiny at the start of the season, Frimpong was dropped from the side in favour of the more defensively minded Ronald Araujo.
But the Dutch wing-back played the full 90 minutes against LASK, and Iraola was pleased to give him this game time:
"I think Jeremie had good moments, he scored, assists. It's true last two goals at 6-1 he wasn't as fresh, he was tired and it was difficult to keep the performance levels up but it was good to give him the full game. He is in good physical condition.
"It’s quite clear when we play with Frimpong and Araujo (at right-back). Jeremie can help us offensively, you saw it y'day. It means we leave more space in behind. Ronald is more defensive, doesn't give us the same overlaps and 2v2s at the same leve but he can do it. It's about us seeing what we can do from the game. It's good to have those options until we recover Conor Bradley."
IMAGO / STEINSIEK.CHAndoni Iraola on Lewis Koumas
The Welsh forward immediately became a favourite of Andoni Iraola's from very early in pre-season, and with Isak and Gakpo unavailable, it has gifted the opportunity to Koumas to show everyone what he is about.
Getting his first goal in the Champions League in Austria really summarises how Lewis Koumas has been for the Reds.
A persistent threat and a high work rate, fans and Iraola himself have been very supportive of the 21 year old:
"He deserves the minutes. We are using him more because Isak is injured but if I wasn't comfortable then I have other options. He knows he is ready to learn and be the best player he can be. He had a lovely moment yesterday, two goals disallowed and finally score the third one. A lovely moment for him."
Andoni Iraola on Bradley Barcola
A hat-trick for Liverpool and the first of his career, Bradley Barcola was a joy to watch against LASK, completely running the show.
And he is slowly getting to know his teammates both off and on the pitch, and connections with the likes of Florian Wirtz have shown signs of life.
"Football is like this - one week you are incredible and then the next you're not. The ones involved in the game with more perspective, he has been an important player for France and PSG and now it is about finding the best connections with team-mates and learning and understand everyone, where they prefer the ball and if they want to attack the spaces."
IMAGO / Branislav Racko Andoni Iraola on Trey Nyoni
Another standout performer coming away from the Champions League was Trey Nyoni. Controlling the speed and rhythm of the game, the young English midfielder was calm, composed and bred confidence whenever he was on the ball.
Iraola was equally full of praise for the 19 year old:
"Trey is a player who is very young, he is very mature, he understands the game very well, he is tactically smart and he has to continue going in this direction.
"He has been involved a lot and he has to keep this level up, be a No.6 or an 8, he has to put pressure on the other midfielders. It's good he can perform in the CL."
Andoni Iraola on Rio Ngumoha
While the England international didn't get on the scoresheet, he was pivotal to several goals vs LASK.
His direct running at defenders and ability to weave in and out caused the home side all kinds of problems.
And this is something Iraola wants Ngumoha to keep in his game, and praised the starlet's willingness to learn the right wing position:
"I think he is getting more comfortable on the right, even with England he played there and had some good moments. With Jeremie you can come inside but Ronald you need to keep the width but he is a threat on the ball and he cannot lose this.
"We want him to be brave when he has the ball. He has some areas to improve. I am liking his attitude because he is ready to improve."
Andoni Iraola on Giovanni Leoni's Recovery
It was expected that Giovanni Leoni would make his return to first-team training over the last international break, with some even speculating that he may feature in a U21 game during the three-week break from club football as well.
But that didn't happen, and news surrounding what stage of his recovery Leoni was at has been very limited, but Iraola gave the press an update on the Italian's progress:
"It's taking more time than we wanted. With Leoni, the plan was to train in the international break but it will be the next one, so we have lost one month of progress. It was not just an ACL, it was a bad injury, a lot of areas around the knee.
"That process has to be very careful and we want to be careful when he returns to the team he stays in a good place. So the plan now is he starts in the next break. Later than we expected."
IMAGO / Propaganda PhotoAndoni Iraola on Wirtz Performing Better In Europe
Florian Wirtz once again came up in the boss's press conference as he was asked why it appeared that the German has put in better performances while playing in Champions League football, rather than in the Premier League:
"I think everyone, it's not about foreign teams or English teams, it's just about different games. Some you have more time to think or less, we have to adapt, Florian and everyone. We know Brentford won't be the same as LASK, different demands."
Andoni Iraola on Set-Pieces
The final question of the conference was about set-pieces.
Liverpool haven't been very prolific from them this campaign, but have been better at defending them, two things that are typical of an Andoni Iraola side.
But with Brentford's prowess from set-pieces being well documented by now, Iraola was asked whether he felt his side would be able to deal with the threat the London-based side poses from those situations:
"We have been very good defensively and quite poor offensively at set-pieces. We will be demanded defensively v Brentford at set-pieces. There is always uncertainty in the last few seasons against them. We will be really tested and we have to be ready."
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