Headline: Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch Receives Injury Update Ahead of Champions League Clash with Fenerbahce
Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch will miss the team’s Champions League trip to Fenerbahce due to a heel injury. He was not included in the 22-man traveling squad that departed for Turkey on Tuesday morning, as he remains in Merseyside for treatment.
Coach Andoni Iraola addressed Gravenberch’s condition during a press conference held at Fenerbahce’s Chobani Stadium, which was delayed by over an hour due to traffic in Istanbul. In response to questions about the player’s potential availability for Sunday’s match against Crystal Palace, Iraola stated, “I don’t know, it’s a day-to-day thing. It’s the heel, it’s about the pain.”
“He’s been in some discomfort. The other day against Arsenal, he was warming up and he was not fully confident. He hasn’t improved since then, but it’s going to be something that every day we ask him, every day we see how he is,” he continued. “If he can be available for the weekend, lovely. It would be a very good help for us, but I cannot tell you right now.”
Gravenberch did not play in Liverpool’s recent loss to Arsenal, where Trey Nyoni took the midfield role, making his first Premier League start at just 19 years old. His absence could give Nyoni another chance to shine against Fenerbahce.
“I think he has to continue in the same place that has been since the beginning of pre-season, being ready for every game,” Iraola remarked. “He’s playing most of the games or even all the games lately, so we trust him.” He added that Nyoni is doing well and emphasized the importance of continuing his development and gaining experience.
Following the defeat to Arsenal, Iraola expressed frustration over a missed penalty decision and indicated he might instruct players to go down more easily to prompt referees to respond correctly. However, he confirmed he had not sought a formal explanation from the refereeing body regarding the decision.
“No, I didn’t ask for an explanation,” he said. “I told you what I think about the plays, but honestly I don’t have time. Preparing for Fenerbahce, we have just two days between games, so I’ve just been focusing on this game, the opposition and how to prepare the team for tomorrow.”
