The next stage of Liverpool’s pre-season preparations will see them face RB Leipzig on Thursday at the Red Bull Arena.
RB Leipzig against Liverpool
Preseason friendlies (3) Red Bull Arena Thursday, 21 July 2022 | 18.15 (BST)
After completing a tour that included a series of routine business engagements, Jurgen Klopp will look forward to the next stage of Liverpool’s summer schedule, focusing more on training and tactics.
The Reds returned to England last Saturday, ahead of a couple of workouts at the AXA Training Center earlier this week.
They will now fly to Germany for a friendly against RB Leipzig, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, before embarking on a training camp in Austria.
1. Team news
Alisson Becker, Caoimhin Kelleher, Calvin Ramsay, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kaide Gordon and Diogo Jota have been in the treatment room and are unlikely to be available.
There are likely to be fewer players involved and more playing time for those who are, with Klopp now willing to make sure his senior stars get close to full fitness.
The starters should be ready to play at least 45 minutes, with a handful already doing so against Crystal Palace last Friday.
2. How could Liverpool line up?
With the tour of Asia over, the team selections for the next friendlies can give us some clues as to who will line up at Craven Cottage on August 6th.
This could mean, for example, that Klopp wants to start using both Luis Díaz and Mohamed Salah alongside Darwin Núñez in attack.
Here are two potential lineups the Reds could present in Leipzig on Thursday.
3. Austria: Klopp’s favorite field
“My time,” is how the Liverpool coach explains his team’s trip to Austria.
That’s where the Reds will go after Thursday’s friendly in Leipzig, for a week-long workout.
This is where Klopp will step up Liverpool’s preparations for the new season. Without commercial distractions, it will be eating, sleeping, training, repeating, with some days consisting of more than one session.
He will focus more on the tactics and ways Klopp wants to see his team set up this season. Hopefully this will be reflected in the two friendlies next week.
4. What happened in training this week?
There is a simple explanation! ?????
– This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) July 19, 2022
After returning from Asia after a 14-hour flight late Saturday, the team was able to rest the rest of the weekend to adjust their body clock.
On Monday they returned to the AXA Training Center, with a group of 15 people participating in a session on the playing field.
The rest, made up mainly of senior players, including Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Thiago, were doing fitness work in the gym.
Among those who came out on the field were Joe Gomez, who missed Friday’s win against the Palace in one fell swoop, as well as youngsters Stefan Bajcetic, Luke Chambers and Isaac Mabaya, who could be prepared to participate more. in the first team this season.
5. At what stage is RB Leipzig in its pre-season?
???? ????: 3-1 victory at Southampton after 105 minutes, with goals from Angel, Emil and Ilaix ???
Good luck for the season, @SouthamptonFC?
??? #WeAreLeipzig #RBLSaintsFC pic.twitter.com/oF5CsHqfgR
– RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) July 16, 2022
The 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign starts the same weekend as the Premier League, with Leipzig traveling to Stuttgart for their first match on Sunday 7 August.
Domenico Tedesco’s side have just returned from their own Austrian field and concluded it with a 3-1 friendly win over Southampton last Saturday.
Leipzig will have their eyes set on a title challenge for next season, or at least want to improve on their fourth place finish last season.
His preparations have been bolstered by the news that star striker Christopher Nkunku has opted to stay and sign a new contract, despite the interest of a number of top clubs in Europe.
6. Go back to where it all started for Naby and Ibou
The friendly will offer Naby Keita and Ibrahima Konate a chance to catch up with some familiar faces, and both will join the Reds from Leipzig in past years.
Keita has already faced his former team once with the Reds, entering as a substitute in the return match of the round of 16 of the Champions League in March 2021.
For Konate, however, this will be the first time he will see some of his former teammates from his £ 36 million at Anfield last summer.
7. Klopp “isn’t worried at all” about Núñez
Some rival fans, of course, are desperate to see Núñez fail at Liverpool. So much so that there have been compilations highlighting some of his missed opportunities in the preseason by flipping through social media.
Yeah sure!
Klopp, however, says he is happy with what he has seen from the Uruguayan so far and remains “fully convinced of his potential.”
Hopefully the first of Nunez Liverpool’s many goals arrives on Thursday!
8. Last time against Leipzig
The Reds faced Leipzig for the last time in the round of 16 of the 2020/21 Champions League, with two 2-0 victories that allowed them to advance to the quarter-finals with ease.
The matches were played in Budapest and without fans, due to the increase in cases of Covid-19 at that time.
Both matches, in terms of score and scorers, have been virtually identical, with Salah and Sadio Mané scoring one goal each in the second half of each match.
9. Red Bull Arena – Leipzig
This will be the Reds ’first trip to Leipzig’s Red Bull Arena since it became their stadium in 2010.
Liverpool’s allocation for the match has been exhausted and Leipzig say theirs too.
There could be up to 42,000 spectators. Not bad for a friendly!
10. Follow the TIA live blog
The RB Leipzig vs. Liverpool can be seen on LFCTV GO from 5.45pm (BST), with the start scheduled at 6.15pm.
However, if you do not subscribe, This Is Anfield will provide you with regular updates to our live blog.
Henry Jackson will keep you company for this!