Travel disruption adds another challenge for struggling Liverpool
Liverpool's troubled run of form has been compounded by travel disruption ahead of Wednesday's Champions League clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, after the team's flight to Germany was delayed.
Arne Slot's squad had been scheduled to depart Liverpool late on Tuesday afternoon following a pre-match training session. However, due to what the club said were "technical issues with the aircraft," they did not depart until nearly four hours later.
The late departure forced the cancellation of Liverpool's scheduled pre-match press conference, which was due to feature Slot and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai.
Slot and his men face a huge challenge on Wednesday. Their 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday was their fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions. If they lose to Eintracht Frankfurt, it would be the first time the Reds have lost five in a row since September 1953.
Slot, however, remained confident the delay would not affect their performance on Wednesday.
"No, it will not impact the build-up to tomorrow's game," he said on the club's website. "We have trained over here... Normally we would have gone to Frankfurt a few hours earlier, now we are a few hours later. But, no, that can never be an excuse for the game tomorrow."
The reigning Premier League champions have three points from their first two Champions League games.
Wednesday's match will see Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike reunited with his former club, after he left Eintracht Frankfurt to join Liverpool in the close season.
Slot said it would be a special occasion for the French striker.
"In his situation, he did so well that I think not only he likes to go back over there, I think the fans over there like to see him as well for what he did for the club, because he was part of the team that brought them to the Champions League. Special for him," he said.
Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch did not make the trip on Tuesday as he remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained on Sunday.
