Dominik Szoboszlai gesture speaks volumes after Liverpool squad omission for LASK

When Liverpool's official 23-player squad for the trip to Austria dropped on Tuesday afternoon, supporters reading the team sheet on social media were greeted by a painful, all-too-familiar reality.

There was no Alexander Isak. No Cody Gakpo. And, crucially, no Dominik Szoboszlai.

Coming off the back of a bruising 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday a game where the Reds looked uncharacteristically leg-weary in midfield seeing three senior stars sidelined for a Champions League matchday is enough to send nerves down the spine of any travelling Kopite.

So when the squad took to the streets of Linz for their traditional morning pre-match walk ahead of the 5:45pm BST kick-off at the Raiffeisen Arena, nobody expected to see a familiar Hungarian international strolling alongside his teammates.

Yet, in a viral video clip shared on instagram there he was in his Liverpool travel tracksuit, laughing alongside Milos Kerkez and the rest of the squad, Szoboszlai had travelled to Linz entirely out of his own accord to support the boys.

He isn't eligible to play. He isn't even named on the bench. But he refused to stay behind.

Team confirmed: Iraola makes four changes with Van Dijk benched

The team sheet for tonight's Champions League clash against LASK has now officially landed, and Andoni Iraola has delivered a clear statement about managing workload across a gruelling nine games in 21 days.

The Basque manager has made four sweeping changes to the side that suffered defeat at the weekend with the biggest talking point being the decision to bench club captain Virgil van Dijk. With one eye on Saturday’s tricky Premier League trip to Brentford, Iraola has opted to rest his talismanic leader, opening the door for a reshuffled defensive line.

The headline inclusion, however, belongs to youth. Iraola has handed a historic senior Champions League debut to a 19-year-old starlet, offering a glimpse into the club's long-term blueprint and showing complete faith in the next generation on the big stage.

For Iraola, losing Szoboszlai for this European trip was a massive blow on top of those line-up adjustments.

The 25-year-old midfielder had started six of Liverpool’s opening seven games this season, including a commanding performance against Atletico Madrid where he sparked the 2-1 comeback with a thunderous equaliser.

However, the international break dealt Iraola a raw hand. Szoboszlai returned from the Hungary camp complaining of a tight hamstring. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Iraola sought to downplay fears of a lengthy layoff, describing the issue as an "overload" and something "very small".

"It is difficult to tell when they will return," Iraola admitted when pressed on Isak, Gakpo, and Szoboszlai. "I could not say whether it would be for Brentford or Villarreal."

While Liverpool have been cautious enough not to set a firm return date, close friend and international teammate Milos Kerkez offered a far more optimistic update during yesterday's press duties in Austria.

"I don't know if he is fit for Saturday. You'll have to ask the gaffer that," Kerkez grinned when asked about his compatriot. "I know Dom and he doesn't like to be out long. Knowing him, he wants to play every game and will want to play Saturday."

With Ryan Gravenberch set to serve a one-match domestic suspension during Saturday's trip to London following his red card against City, having Szoboszlai available at the Gtech Community Stadium feels non-negotiable for Iraola's midfield setup.

Szoboszlai's presence in Linz hit a far deeper chord with the fanbase.

Having signed a brand-new five-year contract extension at Anfield back in July, Iraola officially confirmed this season that Szoboszlai has been elevated into the club's leadership group. Alongside Alisson Becker and Joe Gomez, the Hungarian now serves as one of three designated vice-captains behind Virgil van Dijk.

To see a senior vice-captain fly across Europe purely to walk the streets of Linz with the squad and offer moral support in the dressing room says everything about the culture being instilled inside the club.

The reaction across social media was instant, with Kopites on X (formerly Twitter) expressing their admiration for the gesture:

@dani_hendler: "For real? It's WAY too precious that he went with the team even though he's injured and can't play. He's my future captain YES."

@deanthomas_88: "Keep him for Saturday."

It is easy for modern players to sit at home in luxury when sidelined, watching away games on a screen. But Dominik Szoboszlai isn't built like that. He wants to be with his teammates, whether he's wearing football boots or a tracksuit on the touchline.

As Liverpool look to bounce back from the Sunday defeat and maintain their 100% record in Europe, having that kind of leadership around the group and a fearless young lineup on the pitch might just be the ideal recipe tonight.

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