Iraola reminded Liverpool that they must establish an early advantage in the Champions League.

Another key match in the second round of the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League will take place, with Liverpool traveling to face LASK Linz. Manager Andoni Iraola stated that the Reds must aggressively fight for points in this competition to establish an early advantage in the qualification race, otherwise they will find themselves in a passive position.

In the first round of the Champions League, Liverpool defeated La Liga's Atletico Madrid 2-1 after goals from Szoboszlai and McAllister.

However, in the earlier Premier League match, Liverpool suffered a humiliating 0-3 defeat at home to Manchester City, so they must shake off the shadow of this loss in order to have a chance to compete for three important points in the Champions League.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said, "Champions League away games are always challenging, and we all know that. This is a team that has won the league title; they usually dominate the game and control possession for long periods. However, when they face stronger opponents in the Champions League, they have to adjust their approach slightly."

"Actually, there is already an example this season that we should learn from. The Celtics lost 1-5 here after stoppage time, so we must respect our opponents."

Liverpool have won their last two encounters against LASK Linz. Andoni Iraola said, "We come here hoping to win, and I think we might be the favorites, but the key is to come here and accomplish our goal and play at a high level, because Champions League away games are never easy."

“The Champions League is a competition that everyone wants to participate in, and I felt that in the first match against Atletico Madrid. It was a great game with a fantastic atmosphere, and we won a very satisfying victory. We have made a good start to the competition and hope to continue this momentum.”

Furthermore, Andoni Iraola added, "We hope to continue winning away from home, because in this competition, failing to win can come at a very heavy price. So we need to get the points we need as soon as possible, otherwise we will put ourselves in a passive position."

Image source: Internet