FRANKFURT, Germany — Arne Slot expressed his hope that Alexander Isak “isn’t sidelined for several weeks” after the Liverpool coach raised concerns about the £125 million ($167 million) forward’s well-being following a groin injury sustained during Wednesday’s 5-1 Champions League victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Liverpool enjoyed a resounding victory, breaking a four-game losing streak against the Bundesliga side in Germany. However, the match was overshadowed by hamstring injuries to Jeremie Frimpong and Isak’s groin issue.
Isak’s ongoing struggles with form and fitness were evident, as the former Newcastle striker had a lackluster 45 minutes before being substituted at halftime for Federico Chiesa.
– Salah benched for Liverpool vs. Frankfurt
Slot noted that Isak’s fitness is becoming a concern, especially given that he had minimal training during the summer due to a protracted transfer from Newcastle to Liverpool.
“Alex had to leave the game at halftime, which is not a situation you want,” Slot commented. “He felt discomfort in his groin, so we are hoping for the best.”
“I’m really hoping this isn’t a serious issue because if he were to miss a few weeks, it would set him back significantly,” he added.
“It’s a difficult balance we are facing with him. When he joined us, he had hardly trained.”
“We are working to get players ready for weekly matches, but as Liverpool, we play every three days, or typically three times in eight days, which can be challenging without a proper preseason. That’s what we’ve been trying to manage.”
Slot emphasized that Isak was fit to play against Frankfurt—saying, “I wouldn’t have played him if he wasn’t”—but acknowledged the difficulties Liverpool face in achieving full fitness with Isak after his interrupted summer.
“He arrived on the first of September,” Slot explained. “Initially, we could only bring him to us once a week, but now we’ve increased that to twice a week, which he was able to manage with the Swedish national team.”
“He was in perfect shape upon returning from the national team and was fit before the [Manchester] United match, so we anticipated he would be ready to play today. Unfortunately, he felt a twinge in his groin.”
“I believe we have been cautious and did what was necessary. The Swedish national team also treated him with care.”
“They used him in both matches during the last break, which he was capable of handling, so I have no complaints with the Swedish team; we communicated with them that he was ready for two games.”
“Striking a balance is challenging when players miss out on preseason. Some manage to push through, while others, unfortunately, face setbacks.”