Liverpool boss Arne Slot has confirmed that Alexander Isak was forced off at halftime during the 5–1 Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt due to a groin injury.
The Swedish striker, who joined Liverpool for £125 million from Newcastle in the summer, started alongside Hugo Ekitike in Germany but failed to complete the match. He was replaced by Federico Chiesa at the interval after feeling discomfort.
Isak’s form has come under scrutiny, with his only goal for Liverpool so far coming in the Carabao Cup, and this setback could further hamper his bid to find consistency at Anfield.
Speaking after the match, Slot revealed his frustration at the striker’s situation.
“Alexander had to go off at half-time because he felt his groin a little bit. That’s a pity,” Slot told TNT Sports. “I’ve said many times it is such a difficult balance to find with a player that missed three months.
“You go slowly with him and people argue about playing him longer. We’ve now played him for the second time in three days and unfortunately he had to go off.”
He added: “Let’s hope for the best but it is not an easy balance to find when a player has been out for so long.”
In his post-match press conference, Slot explained that the club had been cautious in managing Isak’s return to full fitness but admitted that Liverpool’s congested fixture list made it difficult to protect players.
“Normally you try to prepare players for once-a-week football,” he said. “But if you are Liverpool, you play every three days. We thought he was well prepared when he came back from the national team before the United game, but the margins at the top are small. I’m hoping it won’t be that bad, because if he’s out for a few weeks it will put him back. So let’s wait.”
Liverpool’s win in Frankfurt ended a four-match losing streak, but Isak’s injury has now given Slot another challenge to tackle as the Reds continue their packed schedule across all competitions.
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