Gakpo's absence casts a shadow over the big night

Liverpool's preparations for their Champions League opener have taken a hit, with Cody Gakpo a major doubt for Wednesday's visit of Atletico Madrid after pulling out of training at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday afternoon. The Dutchman has reported tightness in a muscle, and Arne Slot's side will be hoping it is nothing more serious than a precaution given how central he has been to their early-season rhythm.

Gakpo has been the standout player during the opening weeks of new head coach Andoni Iraola's tenure, registering a goal and three assists across the first three Premier League matches. Losing him for a fixture of this magnitude would be a significant blow, he has looked sharp, confident and full of intent, exactly the sort of player you want leading the line when European football returns to Anfield.

Barcola handed a route into the starting eleven

If Gakpo is ruled out, the spotlight falls immediately on Bradley Barcola. The £123million signing made his debut from the bench at Ipswich Town last Friday, and a first start could now arrive far sooner than expected, and on a considerably bigger stage than most would have anticipated. It is a tough ask for any player in his first weeks at a new club, but this is also precisely the kind of occasion that can define the early chapter of a Liverpool career.

There is no shortage of alternatives to consider, and the young trio of Lewis Koumas, Luke Chambers and James McConnell were all part of Tuesday's training session, suggesting Iraola at least has options to draw from deeper in the squad if needed. Whether any of them come into first-team thinking for a Champions League tie remains to be seen, but their involvement is a positive sign for Liverpool's depth.

Gomez's return gives the squad a timely lift

While Gakpo's situation is a concern, there is genuinely good news elsewhere. Joe Gomez has returned to training after six weeks out with a muscle problem, an injury he picked up during Liverpool's pre-season friendly against Sunderland in Nashville on 25 July. The timing of his return ahead of the European campaign getting underway is a welcome boost for the squad.

Elsewhere, Wataru Endo was putting in the work on the training pitch despite not being included in Liverpool's Champions League squad for the league stage, while Federico Chiesa remains sidelined with a back problem, and similarly finds himself outside the European squad for now. It has been a complicated opening period for both players, and the hope will be that their situations become clearer as the season finds its footing.

What happens next

All eyes now turn to Wednesday evening and whether Gakpo can recover in time to take his place in the side. Liverpool face Atletico Madrid in their opening Champions League fixture, and the question of who leads the attack could well shape how the tie unfolds. If Barcola gets the nod, it will be the first real test of what the club's record signing is genuinely capable of, and that is a story worth watching very closely.