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Cody Gakpo has made a fast start this season (Picture: AP) Andoni Iraola confirmed Cody Gakpo has missed Liverpool’s opening Champions League fixture with Atletico Madrid due to an adductor problem. Gakpo has made a fast start to the Premier League season under his new boss, with a goal and three assists in his first three matches. The Dutch forward played the full 90 minutes on Friday night and set up Alexander Isak twice as the Reds claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over Ipswich Town. However, Gakpo was not pictured in training on Tuesday and has now missed out on the matchday squad for the visit of Atletico. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro's football newsletter Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Sign up now for free. Asked about Gakpo’s injury pre-match, Iraola told TNT Sports: ‘Yes Cody finished the game the other day against Ipswich with some adductor issues. ‘Both sides, nothing specific and not a proper injury but we didn’t want to risk him. ‘I think it makes sense to take a rest and I hope we can recover him for the next one but I think even for the weekend he has a chance to be there.’ Gakpo picked up an injury against Ipswich Town (Picture: EPA) Bradley Barcola, signed from Paris Saint-Germain for £123million, comes in to replace Gakpo for his first Liverpool start. Elsewhere, Victor Munoz is dropped to the bench, with Rio Ngumoha instead starting on the right wing. Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid starting line-ups Liverpool starting XI: Alisson; Araujo, Jacquet, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ngumoha, Isak, Barcola Liverpool subs: Mamardashvili, Woodman, Tsimikas, Munoz, Frimpong, Gravenberch, Nyoni, Chambers, McConnell, Koumas, Danns. Atletico starting XI: Oblak, Llorente, Hancko, Romero, Pubil, Barios, Koke, Simeone, Baena, Alvarez, Lee. Atletico subs: Musso, Vargas, Mendoza, Cardoso, Lookman, David, Grimaldo, Hjulmand, Le Normand, Dominguez, Martinez, Castillo. On the decision to start Barcola, Iraola added: ‘It’s true that he hasn’t had the pre-season minutes but I liked what I saw from him the other day [against Ipswich] for 30 minutes. ‘He’s been training well so I think it was a good game to put him in straight away. ‘Now I don’t think he can probably finish the game, we’ll see how he does, but we need some freshness and I think especially outside with Rio [Ngumoha] and Bradley, I think we can find these difference makers.’ Liverpool face a quick turnaround after Wednesday’s match, hosting Fulham in the league at Anfield on Saturday. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Argentina are reportedly finalizing friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin for October, potential farewell matches for Lionel Messi with the national team following this year's World Cup. Argentina are reportedly closing in on a set of friendlies for October’s international window that could see Lionel Messi and the national team face Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, according to ESPN journalist Esteban Edul. The matches are being discussed as potential farewell games for Messi following his time with the senior national team after this year’s World Cup, though nothing has been officially confirmed by the AFA or the player himself. The reported schedule has Argentina facing Bolivia on September 30, followed by Burkina Faso on October 3, with a possible third match against Benin, currently ranked 93rd in the FIFA rankings, on October 6. The AFA is said to be negotiating all three fixtures as part of the same international window, with venues under consideration including El Monumental in Buenos Aires, the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba, and a possible match in Rosario. Lionel Messi and teammates celebrate with World Cup replicas at Estadio El Monumental. (Getty Images) With Messi already having confirmed his retirement from the national team, what remains uncertain is whether these friendlies will actually serve as his long-awaited farewell in front of Argentine fans. A series of home matches against lower-ranked opposition would give the AFA the perfect opportunity to give him that proper send-off, while also using the games to start looking ahead to the next generation of the national team. Argentina want friendlies to be recognized as Category A The federation has reportedly also consulted FIFA to ensure the friendlies are classified as Category A matches, a designation that would allow several suspended Argentina players to begin serving bans they picked up following incidents at the 2026 World Cup. Locking in that classification is seen as a key step before any of the fixtures can be finalized. The suspensions stem from the fallout surrounding Argentina’s run to the final, when FIFA handed down sanctions to several members of the squad and coaching staff for their conduct in the tournament’s closing stages. Leandro Paredes received the harshest penalty of the group, a 10-match ban, while Nahuel Molina was hit with a seven-match suspension of his own. Thiago Almada picked up a shorter one-match sanction, and even assistant coach Roberto Ayala was not spared, receiving a three-match ban along with a fine. Without Category A status, none of those suspensions could begin to count down, since FIFA only recognizes bans as served in matches that meet that classification threshold.
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