Liverpool's pre-season preparations hit a minor snag on Wednesday when midfielder Curtis Jones was a notable absentee from the matchday squad for the club's first home friendly of the summer against Ligue 1 side Monaco at Anfield.
Jones had been an ever-present figure throughout Liverpool's pre-season schedule, featuring in all three of the club's friendlies in the United States against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United. His omission from the squad to face Monaco therefore came as something of a surprise to those following the club's build-up to the new campaign.
Speaking after the match, which Liverpool ultimately lost 3-2, manager Iraola clarified the reasoning behind the decision to leave Jones out. "Curtis, he has trained every day but yesterday finished with issues in the hip," Iraola explained. "It doesn't look anything big but it didn't make any sense to risk and those are the ones, more or less, closer to a return."
The suggestion is that Jones is not facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with the club preferring to err on the side of caution given his central role in pre-season training and the upcoming demands of the competitive season.
On the pitch, Liverpool had appeared to be cruising towards victory after racing into a two-goal lead inside the opening half hour. Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz were on target to give the hosts what looked like a commanding advantage. However, Monaco produced a spirited response in the second half, with goals from Aleksandr Golovin, Mika Biereth and Paris Brunner completing a stunning turnaround to secure a 3-2 win for the visitors.
It marked the second consecutive pre-season friendly in which Liverpool failed to protect a lead, raising some questions about defensive resilience as the club continues to navigate a difficult period at the back. Liverpool are currently contending with a defensive injury crisis, which was evident in the makeup of the backline against Monaco. Young defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe was handed a start alongside senior centre-back Virgil van Dijk, with Iraola opting not to gamble on summer signing Jeremy Jacquet.
The Frenchman has yet to make an appearance for Liverpool during pre-season but appears close to his debut. "Jeremy Jacquet, we were in doubt whether to put him [in the squad] today, we decided not but he should be fine for the next one," Iraola said, referring to next week's fixture against Como. "It is taking a little bit of time, as we expected."
Separately, developments at Barcelona have shed further light on Liverpool's transfer business this summer. Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick effectively confirmed that Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo is set to depart the Catalan club, with Liverpool understood to be his destination.
Discussing the reasons behind Araujo's expected exit, Flick offered a candid assessment of the situation. "I think Ronald is a great guy and a great player, but our style of play is different from what he prefers," Flick told reporters. "He's a powerful and fast player. It's a shame for me; it's been difficult, and I haven't been able to count on him as much as I would have liked. Past mistakes affected him mentally. I've seen him happy, and I wish him all the best. He's a fantastic person and player, and a great captain. Changes in life are normal."
With the transfer window still open and pre-season fixtures continuing, Liverpool fans can expect further clarity on both Jones' fitness and the Araujo deal in the coming days, as Iraola's side prepare to face Como next week.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.