Liverpool favorite Iraola speaks candidly ahead of the clash with Koot, the new Fenerbahçe coach, in the UEFA Champions League.
On 4 Nov 2026 GMT+7, Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola gave an interview ahead of the UEFA Champions League 2026-27 league phase matchday 4, visiting Turkey’s prominent team Fenerbahçe tonight at 00:45 GMT+7.
In this game, Dirk Koot, a former Liverpool fan-favorite striker from 2006 to 2012, will face his old club for the first time as the home side Fenerbahçe’s coach. He was appointed on 28 Oct and will go head-to-head with Liverpool’s manager Andoni Iraola.
Iraola spoke about leading Liverpool against Dirk Koot, saying, “Fenerbahçe is undergoing a managerial change, but the players remain mostly the same. We are familiar with most of the squad and know the team well.”
“Of course, we may not have much data on how the team plays under Dirk Koot compared to the previous manager, but I don’t think they will change their playing style drastically. They are likely to maintain their usual approach.”
“The key is to manage individual players, especially their attackers who can make a significant difference in the game. We must be particularly cautious of those players.”
Regarding the chance to win four consecutive matches in the UCL 2026-27, Liverpool’s coach said, “I think this season we have performed better in the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup than in the Premier League, but it is still too early to compare.”
“We want to continue on the path we are on in the Champions League. So far, we have collected 9 points from 3 matches. This is a good opportunity to reach 12 points, aiming to qualify and finish among the top 8 in the group.”
“However, playing away in the Champions League is not easy. We are well aware of this, especially coming to this stadium with such an atmosphere. We must prepare mentally to start the game strongly.”
