Iraola warns Liverpool must boost fitness after two pre-season losses

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said his side lacked the stamina to maintain their early-game intensity following consecutive friendly defeats to Leeds and Monaco.

Liverpool dropped two back-to-back friendlies, first a 4-2 loss to Leeds in Chicago and then a 3-2 defeat to Monaco at Anfield, prompting manager Andoni Iraola to critique the squad's endurance. He noted that while the first half against Leeds and the opening 30 minutes against Monaco were the strongest displays of the pre-season, the team faded as the games progressed. Injuries and lingering post-World Cup recovery affect players like Conor Bradley, Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni, and Ronald Araujo is nearing the end of a season-long loan from Barcelona.

Captain Virgil van Dijk echoed the need for additional quality, and Iraola's staff, including former Bournemouth fitness coach Pablo de la Torre, are focusing on conditioning. Training sessions in Chicago emphasized rapid, high-press play, with players reporting intense physical demands. Iraola acknowledged that perfect fitness will not arrive instantly but urged rapid improvement to match his tactical vision.