Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid: Andoni Iraola drops Bradley Barcola hint for Champions League clash

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has hinted that Bradley Barcola volition beryllium successful contention to commencement Wednesday's Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid astatine Anfield.

The £106m signing from Paris Saint-Germain made his debut successful past Friday's 2-0 Premier League triumph implicit Ipswich Town, coming disconnected the seat successful the 64th infinitesimal for Victor Munoz.

Barcola's little quality astatine Portman Road was his archetypal competitory oregon non-competitive lucifer since the World Cup third-placed playoff nonaccomplishment to England connected July 18, having not featured astatine each for Liverpool oregon PSG successful pre-season.

However, the attacker made a affirmative interaction successful the triumph implicit the Tractor Boys, creating 1 chance, completing 5 carries and registering 1 palmy dribble during his cameo.

Speaking to the media successful his pre-game property conference, Iraola insisted that Barcola was "ready" for much minutes, suggesting that helium could beryllium fixed 45 oregon 60 against Diego Simeone's side.

Bradley Barcola "ready" for much Liverpool minutes

"He's acceptable to play much minutes," Iraola said. "He has been grooming rather normally, the lone happening is helium hasn't had pre-season similar galore players. We person to see this, but helium is successful a truly bully place.

"He tin play much minutes, definitely. I spot him similar a mean subordinate with the condition that helium hasn't had a batch of pre-season minutes to physique his form. But he's acceptable to play much minutes."

While Barcola is bully to go, Liverpool could inactive beryllium missing 5 players for the contention with Atletico, which Hugo Ekitike (Achilles), Giovanni Leoni (knee) and Conor Bradley (knee) volition decidedly miss.

Federico Chiesa is besides expected to walk different period successful the infirmary with a backmost problem, though the Italy planetary would apt beryllium retired of favour adjacent erstwhile afloat fit.

Meanwhile, Joe Gomez (muscle) was owed to statesman squad grooming with Liverpool this week, Iraola stated a fewer days ago, but determination was nary steadfast update connected the Englishman successful Tuesday's property conference.

How volition Liverpool acceptable Bradley Barcola in?

As expected, Barcola was deployed down the left-hand broadside during his debut against Ipswich, adjacent though the antheral helium replaced - Munoz - started the fixture connected the right.

Should Barcola beryllium fixed a salient starting relation astatine Anfield successful the coming months - arsenic expected - either Cody Gakpo oregon Munoz volition person to displacement implicit to the right-hand broadside permanently.

However, Gakpo has made an exceptional commencement to the run with 4 extremity involvements from 3 Premier League matches - 1 of his ain and 3 assists - portion Munoz has besides shown agleam flashes successful his aboriginal days.

Alternatively, should Florian Wirtz neglect to rediscover his champion form, Gakpo, Munoz, Barcola and Alexander Isak could each beryllium stationed together, successful a 4-4-2 oregon 4-2-2-2 shape.

While Barcola's Merseyside vocation is conscionable beginning, Alexis Mac Allister's could beryllium ending, arsenic the midfielder revealed that Liverpool person not offered him a caller contract successful his ain property conference.