Arne Slot explains plan for Alexander Isak after having to leave Liverpool striker out vs Burnley

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Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Burnley and Liverpool at Turf Moor on September 14, 2025 (Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Arne Slot has revealed Liverpool club record signing Alexander Isak is being lined up for a debut against Atletico Madrid in midweek after explaining his absence from Burnley.

Isak wasn’t even part of the matchday squad that travelled to Turf Moor on Sunday afternoon for the Premier League showdown against the promoted Clarets.

The striker, who completed a £125million move to Anfield from Newcastle United on deadline day at the start of the month, made his first appearance since May when making a late cameo from the bench for Sweden last Monday.



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And Slot believes the Burnley clash came too soon for Isak and explained why the 25-year-old is almost certain to feature when the Reds begin their Champions League campaign at home to Atletico on Wednesday evening.

“As everybody knew he didn’t have any team training at Newcastle then went to the national team (and) only played there for 15-20 minutes,” said Slot.

“We think, with a week where we play three games in seven days, this is the best lead-up for him to be available against Atletico Madrid.”

Asked how quickly Isak can get up to speed, Slot told Sky Sports: “That’s always difficult to say, up to full speed.

“What I can say is that normally in a pre-season, after one or two weeks you play your first 45-60 minutes, you build that up gradually.

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“But that you do with proper training sessions during the week and now we hardly have any proper training sessions with the team because we play, like I just said, three games in seven days.

“So, where would he be?

Second or third week of pre-season, I would say, so able to hopefully play during the week 45 minutes or more, but then two days later, as you know, we play Everton again.

“It’s going to be interesting for the performance staff, for us, to get the best out of him at the start but also to keep him available for the end.”