Liverpool return to Anfield this afternoon for a pre-season friendly against Monaco, marking the club's first home fixture of the summer as preparations continue ahead of the new campaign.
The match represents a shift in opposition for Liverpool, who have spent the early part of pre-season touring the United States, taking on two Premier League rivals in Nashville and New York City before facing Wrexham in Chicago. Monaco offer a different kind of test as the first European side Liverpool have faced this summer.
For head coach Andoni Iraola, the fixture carries added significance as his first game in charge of the team on home soil. Having overseen the club's American tour, Iraola will be looking to build on the momentum from those outings as his squad adjusts to a new system and identity under his guidance.
On the opposite bench, Monaco boss Filipe Luis - who previously spent time at Chelsea - brings his own side into the match with a pre-season record of two wins, a draw and a defeat. The Ligue 1 club are using this trip to Merseyside, along with a forthcoming match at Coventry, as key preparation for their Conference League play-off tie against either Ferencvaros or Gornik Zabrze.
There will be a degree of familiarity for both sets of supporters when the teams line up, with Monaco's squad featuring former Tottenham defender Eric Dier and ex-Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun. Both players know English football well and will be eager to impress against Premier League opposition. However, one player who will not feature is Takumi Minamino, who misses out on what would have been a return to a former stomping ground due to injury.
Historically, meetings between the two clubs have been a rarity. Liverpool and Monaco have met only twice before, both occasions coming in the Champions League group stage over two decades ago, with each side winning once. The most recent of those encounters at Anfield saw Djibril Cisse find the net for Liverpool.
For fans hoping to follow the action, the match is being shown exclusively through All Red Video, Liverpool's in-house streaming platform, with kick-off scheduled for 2:30pm BST. The service, which covers all of Liverpool's pre-season matches this summer, is available to supporters through an annual subscription priced at £42.99.
As both clubs continue to shape their squads and tactical approaches before their respective competitive campaigns begin, this friendly offers a valuable opportunity to assess player fitness, form and cohesion. Liverpool will be keen to build on the results from their American tour, while Monaco look to fine-tune their preparations for a crucial European qualifying test in the weeks ahead.
With new faces settling in on both sides and coaching staff still evaluating their options, matches like this provide a useful gauge of progress even if the result itself carries little long-term significance. Supporters inside Anfield will nonetheless be eager to see their side back in action on home turf after a summer spent largely on the road.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (football).