Overview
- Liverpool will play Como twice at Anfield on Sunday, Aug. 16, with a morning behind‑closed‑doors match followed by a ticketed 18:00 BST fixture streamed on the club’s All Red service.
- Manager Andoni Iraola said the games are a key test after pre‑season lapses in sustained performance and that the squad must show greater intensity and consistency in training and match play.
- Uruguay centre‑back Ronald Araujo arrived on a season‑long loan from Barcelona last week and is expected to be available to feature as Liverpool bolster their lacking defensive options.
- Fitness concerns persist with Jeremy Jacquet described as touch‑and‑go despite returning to training, Joe Gomez likely to miss the start of the season with a muscle problem, and several players being carefully managed.
- The friendlies carry immediate stakes because Liverpool open the Premier League at Newcastle on Aug. 23, creating a short window to finalise selections, register new arrivals and reduce defensive risk.