Just when it felt like Andoni Iraola was beginning to regain some vital squad depth ahead of a grueling winter schedule,European travel day brought another unwelcome curveball to the AXA Training Centre.
Liverpool have officially confirmed their 22-man travelling squad on Tuesday morning ahead of their flight to Turkiye for Wednesday’s late afternoon Champions League kickoff (17:45 GMT) against Fenerbahçe.
The team is scheduled to hold a training session at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium at 4:30pm (GMT) following pre-match press conference duties handled by head coach Iraola and forward Cody Gakpo.
The match presents an emotional storyline on the touchline, as Liverpool come up against legendary former Anfield favourite Dirk Kuyt, who is currently serving as interim manager for the Turkish Süper Lig side.
Having taken a maximum nine points from their opening three European matches against Atlético Madrid, LASK, and Villarreal, Liverpool find themselves in a commanding position in the league phase table giving Iraola scope to rotate key personnel amidst a dense fixture list.
Gravenberch Left Behind on Merseyside
On Tuesday morning, Liverpool FC confirmed on their official website that Ryan Gravenberch has been ruled out of the match against Fenerbahçe due to a heel injury.
The 24-year-old Dutchman who was an unused substitute against Arsenal over the weekend will not travel with his teammates to Istanbul. Instead, he is remaining at Kirkby to undergo intensive treatment and assessment with the club’s medical staff.
His physical presence, press-resistance, and ability to drive forward out of tight spaces in central areas will be sorely missed inside the heated environment of the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.
Iraola Explains the “Day-to-Day” Reality: Will He Miss Palace?
Addressing the media in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Iraola was pressed on the exact nature of the 24-year-old’s heel issue and whether there is any realistic chance of him returning for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace.
The head coach candidly explained that the problem involves the plantar fascia and that no firm return timeline can be set just yet:
“I don’t know, it’s a day-to-day thing because it’s the fascia in the heel, it’s about the pain. He’s been in some discomfort.
“He was warming up [against Arsenal] and was not fully confident. He hasn’t improved since then.
“It’s going to be something that every day we ask him, every day we see how he is. 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.”
For the first time since returning from a one-match suspension earlier in the campaign, Gravenberch did not start and play the full 90 minutes against Arsenal. Iraola opted against taking any unnecessary physical risks on the touchline, turning instead to Szoboszlai off the bench in search of a late equalizer. That caution ultimately led to Gravenberch’s complete omission from the official 22-man travelling squad.
Gravenberch will remain back on Merseyside alongside Federico Chiesa and Wataru Endo, both of whom were omitted from Liverpool’s registered Champions League squad for the autumn phase (though both remain eligible for re-registration in early 2027 should the Reds progress to the knockout rounds).
Key defenders Giovanni Leoni, Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley, and striker Hugo Ekitike also remain back home as expected as they continue their respective injury rehabilitation programs.
| Position | Players Included |
| Goalkeepers | Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman |
| Defenders | Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Jérémy Jacquet, Milos Kerkez, Kostas Tsimikas, Ronald Araújo, Luke Chambers |
| Midfielders | Alexis Mac Allister, Trey Nyoni, James McConnell, Florian Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai |
| Forwards | Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo, Victor Muñoz, Bradley Barcola, Lewis Koumas, Rio Ngumoha, Jayden Danns |
If Mac Allister and Szoboszlai can control the tempo in midfield, Liverpool have more than enough fire-power to secure their fourth consecutive European win and lock down early qualification for the knockout rounds.
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