Iraola: I don't care if Barcola misses chances, he is a very valuable player

Ahead of Liverpool's Premier League Matchday 6 clash against Manchester City at Anfield, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola held a press conference to answer media questions. During the conference, Iraola discussed the Anfield atmosphere, the significance of playing Manchester City, the selection challenges posed by injuries to his forwards, and the situations of Louie Koumas, Chiesa, and Bradley Barcola.

Reporter: Hello Andoni. Regardless of the circumstances, the atmosphere at Anfield against Manchester City is always incredibly intense. How much do you want to leverage that home support, and at the same time, how do you keep a cool head and avoid getting carried away by the emotions of the atmosphere?

Iraola: The atmosphere for a match of this magnitude will undoubtedly be electrifying, especially at Anfield. We are eager to give our home supporters reasons to cheer. The fans will always be with us, but when they see the Liverpool they expect on the pitch, the energy they generate will be even more astonishing. The entire team will give everything for this.

Reporter: Obviously, the season is still in its early stages. This might not be a must-win, do-or-die game, but from the perspective of taking points from a main title rival at the top of the table, is this not a game you absolutely cannot lose?

Iraola: No, I don't think so. In today's Premier League, every match is extremely difficult, regardless of the opponent. The overall level of competition in the league has risen significantly, and any team can slip up in any game. Against direct rivals, you always want to take all three points, but even if you win this one, you could drop points against other opponents next week. The league's ebb and flow are dynamic. The season has just begun, and of course, our goal is definitely to fight for the win.

Reporter: We previously discussed Gakpo usually being Isak's backup at striker. Now both are out injured, and their roles this season have been so crucial. How much time have you had to specifically adjust your plans? What are your actual tactical deployments without them?

Iraola: It's not just the two of them; Hugo Ekitike was also injured earlier, and he was a forward I had high expectations for. Unfortunately, both Hugo and Alex are unavailable now. We might see the return of Chiesa, but he has been recovering from injury and hasn't featured this season. Fortunately, he recovered well during the international break and trained systematically with the squad. In terms of a pure number nine, we currently only have Koumas available, but we have other alternatives. Several wingers in the squad have played as strikers for their previous clubs, and I believe our starting eleven has more than enough quality to compete for a win in this big match.

Reporter: Have you had enough time to practice tactics for this sudden shortage of forwards?

Iraola: We actually have very limited time, as the whole team, like Manchester City, only had Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for full training. Some internationals returned on Wednesday and only did some light recovery training. The entire squad has only had three days to prepare. But all top clubs face the same situation, and this can never be an excuse. During the break, you do have ample time to study opponent videos and devise tactics, but with sudden pre-match absences, you have to react immediately. First, Alex got injured, then Cody went down. And the schedule in the coming days will be even more brutal: after Manchester City, we have two days of rest before the Champions League, then two days of rest before Brentford. The entire schedule is incredibly dense, and we must quickly adapt to this reality.

Reporter: Hello Andoni. You just mentioned you have wingers who can deputize as strikers, and that clearly includes Bradley Barcola. During this international break, he faced some criticism in France. With players like Cody and Alex out, is this a perfect opportunity for him to step up and prove his true ability?

Iraola: I don't think he's in a so-called slump. There's often a bias in how forwards and wingers are judged; it seems that if they don't score, their performance is considered poor. You can't just look at the stats sheet. As I said after the match against Atlético Madrid, even if he missed two or three excellent scoring chances, I don't care if he missed those opportunities. Rather, I care more about the fact that he constantly gets into the most dangerous goal-scoring areas with his movement. I also watched him in the national team matches; he created excellent scoring opportunities. Even though the ball didn't go in, I need him to constantly create that kind of danger on the pitch. For us, he is a rare top player. He can play any position in attack. Although he plays left wing most often, whether he's leading the line as a striker or playing on the right wing, he adapts perfectly. He can cover all three attacking positions, making him an extremely valuable player for us.

Reporter: Hello, Andoni. Considering the historical context of this match and the rivalry between the two teams, the atmosphere is bound to be extraordinary. In many ways, is this exactly the kind of marquee matchup you most craved to experience when you took on this managerial role?

Iraola: Yes, we are in this profession to participate in matches of this caliber. You know the game will be challenging, the opponents are extremely strong, but we also have deep roots. It's in these big games that you can truly test the mettle of your players. The pitch will be full of intense battles and one-on-one duels; the opponents are world-class stars. Let's wait and see our true level and what tactical support we can give our players through substitutions during the match. Without a doubt, I am full of anticipation for this big game.

Reporter: Hello, Andoni. You always emphasize that your focus is entirely on the pitch, and the players' energy is also on the pitch. But many in the squad have been battling Manchester City for many years. So, will you communicate with them about off-field issues? With so much external noise, how do you ensure they focus all their energy on the current match task?

Iraola: I think the challenge and difficulty of this game itself are so immense that the players simply don't have the leisure to be distracted by off-field matters. All they're thinking about is: how do I mark this player, how do I deal with that opponent, what kind of top form do I need to bring to adapt to such a high-level contest? So, I think they are completely focused on the sporting aspect. Of course, everyone will have their own personal opinions, but once they're on the pitch, they will definitely be fully concentrated on everything happening on it.

Reporter: Were you surprised by the independent commission's findings regarding Manchester City's alleged breaches of financial rules and the scale of the violations?

Iraola: The truth is, I didn't... they spent I don't know how long verifying the dossiers, three years or more, I'm not sure. So we don't have the specific inside information, and I don't think it's objective for us outsiders to comment. I haven't spent as much energy as they have sifting through the investigation details. They went through a long process of investigation and evidence gathering, so it should be up to them to provide authoritative answers. My personal opinion is irrelevant because I neither invested that investigation time nor read such a massive amount of material.

Reporter: Obviously, severe potential penalties are hanging over Manchester City. Does this present a great opportunity for your team to seize the initiative?

Iraola: As I just said, perhaps the most difficult thing right now is this uncertainty; no one knows exactly what will happen next. But we must focus entirely on Liverpool ourselves, be the best we can be, build the strongest club, the best team – that is my duty and my challenge.

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