Liverpool FC start pre-season – and here’s what to expect

July 12, 2021
Joanna Durkan

Members of Jurgen Klopp‘s squad have started to descend on Austria as another pre-season under his tutelage gets underway.

The picturesque Austrian town of Saalfelden provides the backdrop for Liverpool’s summer training for the second year running, with Monday the official return day.

It’s different to the norm as a start on Merseyside is typical before venturing further afield, but with COVID-19 restrictions still in play, it’s straight to the continent in 2021.

A 34-man squad was named to reunite with Jurgen Klopp, where there is a mixture of senior faces, youngsters, fringe players and those returning from long-term injuries.

The latter of which will be cause for a lot of excitement with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip ready to take up a notch in comebacks that have been many months in the making.

On Sunday, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Kostas Tsimikas, Marcelo Pitaluga, Adrian and Klopp were all pictured arriving at their training base, which they will call home for the next couple of weeks.

The group were the first to arrive and have already been subjected to the dreaded lactate test, an ever-present for Reds on their return from a summer break.

Back. pic.twitter.com/TWr29fXQnc

— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) July 11, 2021

Here we go again! ???
Preseason in Austria ?? !! pic.twitter.com/bP4RfC9kJ5

— Adrián San Miguel (@AdriSanMiguel) July 12, 2021

They will soon be joined by more of their teammates as they arrive from various parts of Europe, with those travelling from the UK all arriving together on a chartered flight.

Training will then soon be in full swing before friendly encounters follow, with two 30-minute mini-games against FC Wacker Innsbruck and VfB Stuttgart first up on July 20.

Klopp’s old club in Mainz 05 will be next on the agenda on July 23 in front of a limited-capacity crowd before meeting Hertha Berlin on July 29.

A return to Liverpool will then follow, where Anfield is expected to host a match before the season gets underway on August 14 at Norwich.

Over the coming weeks, those who were on international duty throughout the summer will be welcomed back into the fold.

Andy Robertson is expected to be the first of the returning contingent before being followed by Diogo Jota, Neco Williams, Harry Wilson, Xherdan Shaqiri, Thiago, Roberto Firmino, Alisson, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

Ibrahima Konate will be new face to look out for, but further activity in the transfer window could see Klopp’s squad change over the coming weeks in respect to both outgoings and incoming signings.