Andoni Iraola addresses Cody Gakpo’s absence, expects return soon

Cody Gakpo was a notable omission from Liverpool’s matchday squad for their Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid at Anfield on September 9, and head coach Andoni Iraola moved quickly to calm any nerves. The Dutch forward picked up adductor tightness in both sides during his full 90-minute shift in Liverpool’s Premier League win over Ipswich Town four days earlier, and the club opted to keep him wrapped in cotton wool rather than risk turning a niggle into something worse.

Iraola characterized the issue as minor, essentially a precautionary absence rather than something that would keep Gakpo sidelined for any meaningful stretch.

What happened and what Iraola said

Gakpo completed the entire match against Ipswich on September 5, showing no visible signs of discomfort during the game itself. The adductor problems apparently surfaced in the aftermath, the kind of low-grade muscular complaint that can escalate quickly if ignored during a packed schedule.

Iraola was clear that this was not a “proper injury” in his assessment.

There is already optimism that Gakpo could feature when Liverpool travel to Fulham on September 12. That would mean missing just one match, the kind of brief absence that looks smart in retrospect if it prevents a multi-week layoff down the line.

Gakpo’s strong start to the season

The timing of this absence is particularly inconvenient because Gakpo had been one of Liverpool’s brightest performers in the opening weeks of the campaign. He contributed one goal and three assists across his first three Premier League appearances, the sort of output that makes a forward virtually undroppable.

The bilateral nature of Gakpo’s tightness, affecting both sides, adds a layer of caution to Liverpool’s medical team’s assessment of his workload going forward.

Summer interest and Liverpool’s planning

Gakpo’s absence also carries some extra weight given the transfer saga that played out over the summer. The forward was reportedly a target for several clubs, with Tottenham and Manchester City among those linked with a move. Liverpool held firm, and Gakpo stayed put.

Iraola took charge of Liverpool for the 2026-27 season, guiding the team through an unbeaten start in the Premier League. Sitting Gakpo against Atletico rather than pushing him through discomfort suggests Iraola is thinking about the long game given the congested fixture list across Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cup commitments.

What to watch next

The Fulham match on September 12 will be the first real test of whether Iraola’s optimism was well-founded. If Gakpo is named in the squad, even as a substitute option, it confirms that the adductor issue was genuinely trivial. If he misses out again, the conversation shifts.

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