Champions Cup matches have become such an important part of preseason preparations, it’s no surprise to see teams name strong squads. In that sense, Liverpool has fallen in line by naming the likes of Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, and Raheem Sterling to the team that will face Olympiacos (July 27), Manchester City (July 30), and Milan (Aug. 2) in the competition’s opening round.
In another sense, however, there are a number of small eye-openers in the 33-man team Brendan Rodgers is bringing to the United States.
For example, consider the forwards, a corps that now includes former Saint Rickie Lambert. The returning Fabio Borini joins Sturridge in rounding out a group that will look strange until we get used to the idea that Luis Suárez has really moved on.
But Borini’s name sparks another strange sensation: Realizing some big names are returning from loan. The Italian attacker, instrumental in Sunderland’s miraculous spring survival, is one of them, as is Pepe Reina, who spent last season on loan with Napoli. Sebastián Coates and Suso are also back after ending last season at Nacional of Uruguay and Almería, respectively. Whether they’re playing for a spot in the team or waiting for another loan deal remains to be seen.
Perhaps most encouraging for Liverpool fans is the depth. Two months after seeming the thinnest of the Premier League’s title contenders, the club has loaded up on options.
In defense, the team is two-deep along the back, while the additions of Emre Can, Adam Lallana, and Lazar Markovic mean eight or nine midfielders could compete for time. The quality could be better in a few spots, but Rodgers’ shouldn’t suffer from a lack of options this season.
Here’s the squad Liverpool will bring to the States:
Goalkeepers (4): Simon Mignolet, Pepe Reina, Brad Jones, Adam Phillips
Defenders (13): Daniel Agger, Sebastian Coates, Jon Flanagan, Tiago Ilori, Glen Johnson, Martin Kelly, Mamadou Sakho, Jose Enrique, Martin Skrtel, Kolo Toure, Andre Wisdom, Danny Ward, Jack Robinson
Midfielders (13): Joe Allen, Emre Can, Phillipe Coutinho, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Lucas Leiva, Lazar Markovic, Raheem Sterling, Connor Coady, Suso, Jordan Ibe, Joao Carlos Teixera
Forwards (3): Fabio Borini, Rickie Lambert, Daniel Sturridge