Wheelies, Phillips spotted & Schmadtke keeping watch – Day 8 in Germany

The Liverpool squad are having a wheelie good time in Germany as their intense sessions continue under Jurgen Klopp‘s watchful eye.

A lot can happen in a week of football, and Liverpool’s eight days in Germany has thrown up a number of twists and turns.

Jordan Henderson is no longer with the squad, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones have returned from their extended break, and both Thiago and Stefan Bajcetic are making strides towards a full training return.

And Klopp has been putting his squad through their paces as he looks to make his side “the best.”

“The best in the world in counter-press, best in deep defending, best in midfield press, best in set-pieces – offensively and defensively – and that’s how I want to do this pre-season,” Klopp outlined his wishes in a LFC podcast.

That involves triple training sessions and away from the pitch, the squad always make time for a wheelie good time – it had to be done!

DONESCHINGEN, GERMANY - Saturday, July 22, 2023: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker (L) and Luis Díaz (R) pull wheelies as they rides back to the team hotel on bikes after a morning training session during a pre-season training camp in Germany. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Andy Robertson did not look like he was having quite as much fun as Alisson, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez on Saturday though…

DONESCHINGEN, GERMANY - Saturday, July 22, 2023: Liverpool's Andy Robertson rides back to the team hotel on a bike after a morning training session during a pre-season training camp in Germany. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

DONESCHINGEN, GERMANY - Saturday, July 22, 2023: Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister, Luis Díaz, goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez ride back to the team hotel on bikes after a morning training session during a pre-season training camp in Germany. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Bajcetic, meanwhile, continues to make steady progress after a “stress response” around the adductor area ended his season prematurely in 2022/23.

Thiago and Nat Phillips – finally! -were both spotted with the squad but made their way back from the training pitches earlier than the others and with the luxury of a golf cart.

DONESCHINGEN, GERMANY - Saturday, July 22, 2023: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic rides back to the team hotel on a bike after a morning training session during a pre-season training camp in Germany. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Sporting director Schmadtke remains close to Klopp and the squad despite having plenty on his plate on the transfer front, but his fresh eyes have been welcomed by the manager.

“It’s nice to have this outside view now, he (Schmadtke) says ‘my god, that’s real quality. The young kids are really good’,” Klopp explained.

DONESCHINGEN, GERMANY - Saturday, July 22, 2023: Liverpool's sporting director Jorg Schmadtke walks back to the team hotel after a morning training session during a pre-season training camp in Germany. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

The Reds are just days away from their second pre-season friendly, they meet Greuther Furth on Monday with kick-off at 12pm (BST).

A return to Merseyside will follow before the squad travel to Singapore on Thursday for two more friendlies against Leicester (July 30) and Bayern Munich (Aug 2).


Liverpool squad pictured in training

DONESCHINGEN, GERMANY - Saturday, July 22, 2023: Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister (R) and goalkeeper Adrián San Miguel del Castillo ride back to the team hotel on bikes after a morning training session during a pre-season training camp in Germany. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Goalkeepers: Alisson, Kelleher, Adrian, Pitaluga

Defenders: Gomez, Van Dijk, Matip, Phillips*, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Tsimikas, Bradley, Scanlon

Midfielders: Mac Allister, Jones, Elliott, Clark, McConnell, Frauendorf, Bajcetic*, Thiago*

Forwards: Nunez, Salah, Jota, Gakpo, Diaz, Doak, Koumas

*Individual programmes