What we know about Liverpool’s 2023 pre-season so far

May 24, 2023
Joanna Durkan

The upcoming pre-season is a vital one for Liverpool to get right after the missteps experienced last summer. Here’s everything we know so far.

Jurgen Klopp has been honest in his assessment of the planning of last pre-season, saying in hindsight, he would have preferred the Asia trip to take place later than it did.

Lessons have been learnt and the club have now planned accordingly for a summer that will be key to Liverpool’s fortunes throughout 2023/24.

So, when do the squad return and what do we know about the summer schedule so far?

When does pre-season kick off?

The Reds will have a number of players involved in international duty after the conclusion of the season and that has led to two different return dates:

Non-internationals: July 8
Internationals: July 11

They will all report to the AXA Training Centre first for testing and will be reunited at Kirkby for up to four days before they jet off to get stuck into the thick of their pre-season training.

Any training camps?

Klopp has already confirmed his side will be heading to Germany for a training camp, with a departure date expected to be sometime between July 13-15.

This leaves no time for local friendlies against local opposition for a second successive summer, which is a shame.

The German training camp will take place in Donaueschingen in the Black Forest – where Klopp grew up – and they will be expected to be there for around 10 days.

Two friendlies have been confirmed while the squad are in Germany:

Karlsruher SC – July 19, 5.30pm (BST)
Greuther Furth – July 24, 12pm (BST)

The meeting with Karlsruher SC will open the 2. Bundesliga club’s new 34,000-seater stadium, Wildparkstadion, while the next game at Greuther Furth will be played behind closed doors.

What about an international tour?

From Germany, Liverpool will then fly to Asia for one stop for a mini-tournament in Singapore.

They will face Bayern Munich and Leicester as part of the ‘Singapore Festival of Football’ – where a reunion with Sadio Mane may not be on the cards with his future with the German giants under question:

Leicester – July 30, 10am (BST)
Bayern Munich – August 2, 12.30pm (BST)

They will host an open training session on July 29 prior to their two fixtures. A handful of days will be spent in Singapore, with the Reds arriving in late-July ahead of the league opener on August 12.

Additional friendlies are expected back in Europe after the Singapore trip, which could include one in the UK with talks over playing an overseas side at Preston’s Deepdale on August 7.

Liverpool typically playing at least six pre-season friendlies.

Will there be an Anfield friendly?

No, there will not be an opportunity for a curtain raiser before the start of the 2023/24 season as the club put the finishing touches on the new Anfield Road Stand.

Liverpool have requested to play their first game of the season away from home to provide an extra week, especially as cranes will have been on the pitch for the roof removal in June.