Liverpool and Brazil duo Roberto Firmino and Alisson are set to miss the majority of the club’s pre-season preparations as they are handed a holiday following their Copa America commitments, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The newspaper claim on their website that the Reds stars, who are currently playing for their country at the South American tournament, will be handed three weeks off by manager Jurgen Klopp following the final of the competition on Sunday, where Brazil will face Peru.
Their time off means that they will return around 28 July, three days before their final pre-season friendly match against Olympique Lyon in Geneva, a week before their Community Shield clash against Manchester City and less than two weeks before the opening day of the Premier League.
Opinion
Now Jurgen Klopp might have a settled squad at his disposal heading into next season but it still is not ideal to have the man who is going to play nearly every game in goal and a forward who will also be a regular in the starting XI missing for pre-season. Fitness is not something the German boss will be too concerned about – after all, they will have been playing competitive football up until Sunday’s final – but he will not want to disrupt the balance he has created in their warm-up games and in training. A balanced side is crucial to success and while most of the players will have no problem letting Firmino and Alisson slot back in, it does cause the potential for a problem or two. Summer competitions like the Copa America have come under fire in the past for impacting clubs and their players – how will Liverpool cope this time around?
