Cody Gakpo Set To Miss ‘Several Weeks’ As Liverpool’s Injury List Grows

Liverpool’s injury list was looking relatively okay going into this international break, with Federico Chiesa closing in on a return to training and only long-term absentees, Hugo Ekitike, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remaining unavailable to Andoni Iraola for the club’s upcoming fixtures.

But just over a week into the three-week-long national team period, LFC have been dealt two huge blows that could seriously hurt the Reds’ aims this season.

Alexander Isak Withdraws From International Duty

The news that broke recently was that Alexander Isak would not take part in any more of Sweden’s Nations League games due to picking up a minor injury during their 2-1 win over Romania

Liverpool announced that Isak would return to the club and undergo more tests and examinations to determine how long he would be out of action for, but both the Swedish national team and LFC stressed that this was a ‘minor injury’.

This was then followed up by Graham Potter, the Swedish head coach, speaking to the media, explaining that due to the quick turnaround between games during this international period, he believed it was best to send Isak back to Merseyside to give him the most time possible to recover from what he believes is a ‘minor thigh issue’

Cody Gakpo Set To Miss ‘Several Weeks’

Then, the same day that the news of Isak’s minor injury came, Cody Gakpo left the field just 17 minutes into the first half of the Netherlands’ game against Serbia, after he was the victim of a rough sliding challenge from a Serbian midfielder.

Gakpo has since undergone a scan on his ankle, and Liverpool announced that he has also left his national team early due to sustaining an ankle injury.

However, unlike Alexander Isak, a rough timeframe of recovery has been reported by Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink, who reported that Gakpo was set to be out for ‘several weeks’ with his injury.

This suggests that Gakpo could miss big Premier League games against Manchester City at home and Brentford away, as well as Champions League fixtures against LASK and Villarreal, respectively.

Author’s Verdict

Clearly, this is not the news that either the fans or Andoni Iraola would have liked to have heard during this three-week break from club football.

And with most national teams having two or three games left before Liverpool return to action, everyone will be keeping their fingers crossed that this is the last injury blow during this international break.

The Reds squad was already seen as too small going into this season, and now, in certain areas of the pitch, such as in the striker role, Iraola is going to have to try someone else in that position for the foreseeable future.

The likes of Bradley Barcola and Lewis Koumas are top candidates to come in and will be hoping to make an impact in the absence of Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo.

Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Portugal’s camp due to reported rift with manager

Cristiano Ronaldo has left Portugal’s national team camp one day before its UEFA Nations League game against Denmark.

In an Instagram post, Ronaldo announced he was leaving the team after manager Jorge Jesus said he was planning to not start the 41-year-old.

“Following the press conference with the National Team Coach, and after a conversation with the President of the Portuguese Football Federation, I have made the decision to leave the National Team training camp,” Ronaldo wrote.

“In due course, I will tell all Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that motivated my departure from the national team, to which I have always been dedicated.

“Now it is time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates, without exception.”

Ronaldo did not play during Sunday’s 2-1 win over Norway. Jesus said that he told the five-time Ballon d’Or winner he would likely be a part of the match, but changed course based on how the game was going.

Jesus acknowledged he was wrong to have Ronaldo warm up and not use him, but he did not apologize for telling the player he would likely be involved.

“I can promise whatever I want, I’m the coach,” said Jesus, who replaced Roberto Martínez four days after Portugal was eliminated by eventual World Cup champion Spain in the Round of 16. “No player will ever make a decision for me.”

Jesus, who coached Ronaldo last season in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, said in a pregame news conference before Ronaldo departed camp that the players understand the manager makes the decisions and that Ronaldo told him he was fine with that.

“It seems like there was an issue between us, but there was no issue,” Jesus said. “I’m the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that.”

The situation led to a meeting with Jesus, Pedro Proença, president of the Portugese Football Federation, and Ronaldo, but Jesus said “there was nothing to solve.”

Ronaldo’s only appearance for Portugal during this international window came last Thursday during a 1-0 win over Wales. He played 67 minutes before being substituted.