Iraola warns Liverpool over fitness levels

New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has warned that his squad has significant work to do to reach the physical standards required for his style of play. The warning follows a 3-2 defeat to Monaco at Anfield on Sunday, just two weeks before the Premier League season begins. This loss marks the second consecutive friendly in which Liverpool have squandered a two-goal lead, following a 4-2 defeat to Leeds in Chicago on 2 August. While Iraola initially suggested the Leeds match provided valuable lessons, he was more critical following the Monaco game. He noted that while Liverpool performed well for the first 30 minutes, the players currently lack the capacity to maintain that level for the full duration of a match. According to BBC Sport, the first half against Leeds and the opening half-hour against Monaco represented the team's best pre-season form, characterised by quick passing, direct attacks, and high-intensity pressing, with Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak appearing particularly sharp. However, performance levels dropped significantly following mass substitutions—nine against Leeds and 11 against Monaco. Leeds scored four unanswered goals in 25 minutes, while Monaco netted three in 44 minutes. Several players are still building fitness following post-World Cup breaks, while Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike, and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined with long-term injuries. Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo is reportedly close to a one-year loan move to Anfield. Captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the need for reinforcements, stating that any quality added to the squad would be welcome. Nevertheless, Iraola insists that the current group must improve their general fitness to execute his high-press system. Iraola has brought in Pablo de la Torre, his former Bournemouth fitness coach, to assist with this transition. During training in Chicago, Iraola frequently urged players to increase their speed, with one player telling BBC Sport that the initial sessions were physically punishing. Milos Kerkez noted that Iraola demands man-to-man marking across the pitch and constant high pressing. Although Iraola took ten games to secure his first win at Bournemouth last season, he remains pragmatic about the timeline at Liverpool, having previously stated that he does not expect the team to be perfect from the first day of the season.