Liverpool travel to face Fenerbahçe on Matchday 4 of the Champions League league phase. Ahead of the fixture, Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola held a press conference to discuss Sunday's match against Arsenal, Fenerbahçe's strengths and managerial change, his team's Champions League objectives, Gravenberch's injury, and the development of young players.
Reporter: Hello, Andoni. Have you received any explanation from PGMOL (the referees' body) about any of the decisions in Sunday's match?
Andoni Iraola: No, I haven't asked for an explanation, nor have I received one. I've already shared my views on those incidents, but frankly, I don't have time to dwell on them. I've been fully focused on preparing for the Fenerbahçe match. We only have two days between games, so all my attention has been on this match, our opponent, and how best to prepare the team.
Reporter: In 2005, Liverpool came back from 3-0 down against Milan to win a magnificent final, so Istanbul could be considered your lucky charm. Since then, however, Liverpool’s record in Istanbul and Turkey more generally has been very poor. I believe Liverpool are eager to break this jinx. Given how different the team’s performances have been in the Premier League and the Champions League, it feels as though we’re watching two completely different Liverpool sides. What tactical plans have you made for tomorrow’s match, and what are your expectations?
Andoni Iraola: Yes, I think Istanbul will always be special for Liverpool. In football, it is hard to find a more wonderful night than that: completing such a desperate comeback on such a big occasion. As for tomorrow's match, we know it will be tough. You mentioned the past statistics, and that isn't just part of Liverpool's history; it is the same for all English teams. If I were managing a team here or a Spanish team, it would be similar. Playing away in Turkey is always extremely difficult.
We must be fully prepared because Fenerbahçe have very good players and an excellent squad. They are experienced and know how to compete in this tournament. We must therefore show a strong attitude from the start and try to undermine their confidence and the momentum they can build with the support of their home crowd.
Yes, I think we've had better results in the Champions League and League Cup than in the Premier League this season. However, I think it's too early to draw direct comparisons. We want to maintain our momentum in the Champions League after taking nine points from our first three matches.
For us, this is a great opportunity to reach 12 points, move closer to early qualification, and aim for a top-eight finish. But we know how tough it is to play away in the Champions League, especially in this stadium and in this atmosphere. We must be fully prepared mentally and show a strong attitude from the start.
Your opponents, Fenerbahçe, are going through a difficult period. Despite winning their last three matches, they have lost their head coach. Do you think you have an advantage against Fenerbahçe at this time?
Andoni Iraola: Yes, I think Fenerbahçe are in a transitional period with a new coach, but their players haven't changed. We know most of the players in their squad and are familiar with the team. Obviously, we don't have as much match footage to analyze under Kuyt as we did under the previous coach, but I don't think they've made significant changes to their tactical approach. I think they are still playing in their established style.
The key is to contain their key players, especially their attackers, who can change the course of a game, so we must stay very alert against them.
Reporter: Hello, Andoni. What's the latest on Ryan Gravenberch? Will he be fit to return on Sunday?
Andoni Iraola: I don't know yet. He needs to be assessed daily because it's a plantar fascia and heel problem, and the key factor is the pain. He's been feeling some discomfort. He didn't feel right during the warm-up for the Arsenal game. The situation hasn't improved since then, but we need to check with him daily to see how he's feeling. If he can play this weekend, that would be great and a huge boost for us, but I can't give a definitive answer right now.
Reporter: Given Gravenberch's current injury situation and the possibility that he'll miss Sunday's game, how big an opportunity is this for Trey Nyoni? Is Trey ready, and will he be in contention for a starting spot?
Andoni Iraola: I think he needs to maintain the momentum he’s had since preseason and always be ready for every game. I think he’s played in most, if not all, of the recent matches. So we trust him, and he’s performed very well. We must encourage him to keep going, keep improving, keep learning and keep gaining experience. His development is going very well right now.
Reporter: Hello, Andoni. Staying with Trey, given the schedule of midweek and weekend games, do you think he’s ready to take on a big role?
Andoni Iraola: “I think the young players are already making an impact. Sometimes it’s not about playing 90 minutes every game. Perhaps one day you need to come on and help the team for 20 minutes; another day, you start and play 65 minutes; then you might not play the next game, before playing the full match after that. It’s also about building stamina, because when you’re young, you might think, ‘It’s fine, I won’t get tired,’ but your body needs to adapt to this rhythm: giving your all every three or four days and enduring high-intensity exertion.”
I think they are going through this growth process. The young players in the squad—Leo, Trey and Lewis Koumas—are all involved, gaining experience in important matches and accumulating valuable playing time. I am satisfied with their performances.
Reporter: Andoni, can we go back to Sunday's game? When you reviewed the match afterwards, putting aside the emotions of the game itself, what did you see? Were you satisfied with the team's performance, given that I know the team suffered an early setback...?
Andoni Iraola: Yes, losing is always frustrating, but, frankly, many aspects of that game left me satisfied. There were plenty of positives in the team’s performance that day. Of course, we still need to improve, especially our efficiency in the box. I think we need to be more decisive there. Even when we have enough players in the box, our movement is often not good enough, and we are just waiting for second balls. I thought we put Arsenal under a lot of pressure, and I could really feel that. They defended well, but I was still pleased with many of the things I saw that day.
Reporter: What will your midfield strategy be against Fenerbahçe?
Andoni Iraola: I think Fenerbahçe have top-class midfielders, and their technical level is very high. If we allow them too much possession or fail to press high effectively, we will suffer. So, I think we must press well, try to control the tempo and prevent them from building confidence. They are experienced players who know how to handle tough games in this competition. The stronger we start, the fewer chances Fenerbahçe will have. Otherwise, they will push us onto the back foot.