Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has explained his reasoning after naming Alexander Isak in the starting XI for the Reds’ Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid at Anfield.
The Sweden international was a surprise inclusion, just three days after being deemed not fit enough to feature in the Premier League win over Burnley. Alongside Isak, Jeremie Frimpong and Andy Robertson were also restored to the line-up, with Milos Kerkez, Alexis Mac Allister and Hugo Ekitike making way.
Isak’s omission at Turf Moor followed a disrupted summer in which he trained away from Newcastle United, his former club, before completing a record move to Anfield. His limited involvement on international duty featuring for only 18 minutes across Sweden’s two fixtures underlined his lack of match sharpness. He only began training with Liverpool last Wednesday, giving him less than a week to integrate fully into Slot’s system.
Despite those factors, Slot had been in constant dialogue with the club medical staff regarding the striker’s readiness, and he strongly hinted before the game that Isak could make his debut on the biggest stage.
“The only thing that is sure is that he will not play 90, and all the rest we will see tomorrow,” Slot told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the possibility of Isak starting.
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of kick-off, the Dutchman revealed the decision was carefully planned rather than a late gamble.
“This was the plan all along,” Slot explained. “That’s why he wasn’t involved in the Burnley game, so he could have a few proper sessions in the time he was with us. That’s what you need in pre-season; you don’t start with friendlies, you start with a proper training week, and in the end of that training week you can play 45, maybe 60 minutes. That’s what we are going to see for him today.”
"This was the plan all along" ??
Arne Slot addresses why he chose tonight for Alexander Isak's Liverpool debuts and the versatile attacking options at his disposal.
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Slot also confirmed that the returns of Robertson and Frimpong were part of his broader plan to rotate the squad more frequently this season compared to last. Reflecting on Liverpool’s grueling campaign in 2024/25, which saw them crowned Premier League champions but eliminated in the Champions League round of 16 by Paris Saint-Germain, the manager admitted lessons had been learned.
“What I have learnt is that in March, when we also played the final of the League Cup, in that moment we were not in our best,” he said. “We had to play from November to March mainly with the same players and I think that is the reason we won the league, but I also think that’s why we were not at our best in Paris.”
Slot suggested that a more measured approach to rotation could ensure his side remain fresher in the decisive spring months of the campaign.
“We were really good here, so maybe in that period of time I need to rotate a bit more. That could help us being fitter in March, but you never know what could have happened in the other games we played in the Premier League maybe where we clinched our title also in that period of time.”
With Isak, Frimpong and Robertson restored to the side, Slot’s selection against Atletico not only signalled trust in his new £100m striker but also an early indication of a more adaptable approach as Liverpool seek to balance domestic and European ambitions.
