It is known how long Barcola could miss through injury. Is it serious?
Andoni Iraola has quickly eased the biggest fears surrounding Bradley Barcola.
Details: Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola provided an encouraging update on Bradley Barcola after the winger was forced off during the 2-1 Champions League victory over Atletico Madrid. According to the Spanish coach, the problem was not a muscle injury but simply cramp. “It was just cramps, especially with Bradley,” Iraola told TNT Sports after the game.
The Liverpool boss explained that the club deliberately asked Barcola to give everything he had despite the Frenchman's limited preparation. The winger arrived at Anfield without a normal amount of pre-season match practice, so the coaching staff have been carefully increasing his workload.
“We are rushing him but we decided today to ask him to give the most you have, and let’s see how you recover because we play again in 3 days,” Iraola added.
Therefore, no spell on the sidelines has been announced for Barcola. Liverpool will assess how he recovers over the coming days before deciding whether he can feature in the Premier League clash with Fulham on September 12. Iraola's comments suggest there is currently no indication of a serious injury.
It is worth noting that the meeting with Atletico Madrid was Barcola's first start for Liverpool following his summer move from Paris Saint-Germain. He had previously made his Premier League debut from the bench against Ipswich.
Reminder: Oh no! Liverpool's €145m newcomer injured in the Champions League
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
