Iraola and Gakpo Speak Ahead of Fenerbahce Match

Fenerbahce and Liverpool will face each other on Wednesday, 4 November, at 20:45, in the 4th week of the Champions League. At a press conference held in Istanbul before the match, Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola and Dutch player Cody Gakpo made statements.

Iraola said Fenerbahce have a strong squad made up of quality and experienced players. Pointing to the difficulty of playing away at Kadikoy, the Spanish coach stressed that his team must start the match strongly. Iraola said they want to take control of the game in the first half and do not want to let the opponent gain confidence.

Reminding that Liverpool have started the Champions League well despite their points losses in the Premier League, Iraola said it is still too early to compare their performances in the two competitions. The coach noted that the club took 9 points from their first three European matches and said this performance is important for their chances in the top eight. Liverpool won all three of their Champions League matches and scored 12 goals, according to the club's official statistics.

Iraola stated that his players must be mentally ready for the atmosphere in the Kadikoy stands. Also touching on the coaching change at Fenerbahce, Iraola said he does not expect major changes in the yellow and navy blue side's style of play and that the individual abilities of the opponent must be treated with caution.