Last term, Liverpool endured a torrid season under now-sacked boss Arne Slot, but were still able to secure Champions League football with one of the lowest points tallies ever to do so in the Premier League era.
Liverpool will move forward in the competition, led by new manager Andoni Iraola, with their first group phase match versus Atletico Madrid next Wednesday at home.
It appears that the Reds may have solved their right-back issues going forward in the competition, amid intense scrutiny from within the fanbase towards an underperforming Jeremie Frimpong.
Liverpool solve their right-back issues, submit squad list, ahead of upcoming Champions League campaign
Frimpong has been subject to intense scrutiny since joining Liverpool, with the Dutchman’s performances being branded too lacklustre, should the Reds wish to compete for major silverware.
In his opening two Premier League matches, both draws, Frimpong has won just six of sixteen duel or tackle attempts, with Liverpool conceding four goals in that period.
Ahead of Champions League nights returning to Anfield, the club has released its squad list for the competition, and given potential insight into attitudes internally regarding Frimpong.
Among those absent are Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo, with their positions being taken by a currently-injured duo in Hugo Ekitike and Giovanni Leoni.
Chiesa recently picked up a muscle injury, while Leoni and Ekitike have been sidelined since the 2025-26 season – the latter getting injured in his debut Liverpool start last September.
Andoni Iraola also opted to include another injured defender in Conor Bradley, who left the pitch versus Arsenal with a severe knee injury in January. The Irishman is expected to return to action shortly after Leoni, who is set to return to training with the Reds during the international break.
Bradley would be a natural choice to displace Frimpong in Liverpool’s line-up on European nights, should the right-back’s recovery encounter no additional hitches, and continue steadily.
His inclusion in Iraola’s squad list speaks to two things: Liverpool’s lack of options at right-back, and an internal expectation that he will soon return to health.
It also raises questions about attitudes regarding Frimpong internally, with a possibility being that Bradley’s recovery is now an even more immediate priority, given the current issues in the position.
The Irishman will play a role in Champions League proceedings later down the line, but fans struggling to bear the weight of Frimpong’s performances can take solace in the knowledge that the Reds are including his replacement in their squad list for European nights.