Andoni Iraola addresses Cody Gakpo’s absence, expects return soon

Cody Gakpo was a notable omission from Liverpool’s matchday squad for their Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid at Anfield on September 9, and head coach Andoni Iraola moved quickly to calm any nerves. The Dutch forward picked up adductor tightness in both sides during his full 90-minute shift in Liverpool’s Premier League win over Ipswich Town four days earlier, and the club opted to keep him wrapped in cotton wool rather than risk turning a niggle into something worse. Iraola characterized the issue as minor, essentially a precautionary absence rather than something that would keep Gakpo sidelined for any meaningful stretch. What happened and what Iraola said Gakpo completed the entire match against Ipswich on September 5, showing no visible signs of discomfort during the game itself. The adductor problems apparently surfaced in the aftermath, the kind of low-grade muscular complaint that can escalate quickly if ignored during a packed schedule. Iraola was clear that this was not a “proper injury” in his assessment. There is already optimism that Gakpo could feature when Liverpool travel to Fulham on September 12. That would mean missing just one match, the kind of brie...