Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola says it will be a “special” experience to go up against a Villarreal side managed by longtime friend Inigo Perez when the teams meet in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday.

The two Spaniards first knew each other as young players making their way at Athletic Bilbao before Iraola recruited Perez as his assistant coach when in charge of Madrid club Rayo Vallecano.

“For me it is a special game because Inigo is my friend,” Iraola told a pre-match press conference at Anfield on Monday.

“We know each other since the academy years in Athletic Club, we played with each other in the first team. As soon as he retired, I was quick enough to grab him to help as an assistant. We’ve been through a lot of things together.

“It is a privilege for me to face him in a Champions League game. He knows me very well, he knows everything. It is a team that I follow, I know the players and it is going to be a little bit strange but in a good way.”

Iraola, asked if he had spoken to Perez lately, said Tues­day’s game had put a temporary restriction on their friendship.

“When these things happen [facing each other in a match], it is not good for relationships,” the 44-year-old Iraola explained.

“I talk to him a lot, but when you know you are going to face each other, you stop talking because you leave the distance, you don’t want to… Lately, it is probably the moment we have talked less.

“We normally call time to talk about La Liga, the Premier League, about football, other stuff, about our families. But now when the game gets closer, we haven’t been in touch.”

Iraola is in his first season in charge of Liverpool, having arrived at Anfield from Premier League rivals Bournemouth — where he tried to bring Perez only for his friend to be denied a work permit by British authorities.

“We tried to take him to England, he was here but he couldn’t work,” said Iraola. “He didn’t receive the work permit. We tried to do everything to convince the panel. I complained in the moment because I came with just two guys, but it has worked well for him also.

“Now he is coaching in the Champions League with Villarreal and I am so, so happy for him.”

Liverpool will be without midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai and right back Jeremie Frimpong ahead of their home European fixture.

Szoboszlai is recovering from a hamstring injury, while Frimpong is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a fresh muscle problem, Iraola confirmed.

Iraola is already contending with a number of long-term absentees, including forward Hugo Ekitike, right back Conor Bradley and centre back Giovanni Leoni.

Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Ronald Araujo — who has established himself as first-choice right-back even though he is known to prefer a central defensive role — said it is “very early” to be talking about making his move to Liverpool permanent.

“It’s very early to talk about these things,” the Uruguayan international said. “I’m really happy to be here, my family are also very happy but it’s a bit early to be talking about these things.”

HAALAND MAY BE FIT TO FACE AEK ATHENS

Fellow Premier League outfit Manchester City will host AEK Athens in Tuesday’s other fixture but manager Enzo Maresca said that forward Antoine Semenyo will miss the clash due to a knee injury while Erling Haaland could be fit.

Semenyo has been sidelined for up to eight weeks after suffering a knee injury at the weekend. The Ghana international limped to the tunnel following Saturday’s 3-2 home win over Ipswich Town, shortly after Haaland took a knock on his foot and ankle.

Maresca said Semenyo’s injury was not as bad as first feared but the 26-year-old, who has two goals and three assists in the Premier League this season, needed time to recover.

“It could be eight weeks. Now the most important thing is recovery. When he is back in December it will be like a new player. Collateral. It’s not muscle,” he told a press conference on Monday.

Semenyo was among the substitutes against Ipswich but came off the bench in the 77th minute at the Etihad Stadium.

“We tried to save him, we tried to keep him fresh, just give him some minutes, he didn’t play a lot but sometimes things happen, we cannot control,” added Maresca.

The manager said there were also some doubts about Norwegian Haaland’s fitness for Tuesday, but he remained hopeful.

“He can be available, we will see, we have a session now. We have some doubts after Saturday’s game. He was quite good yesterday, better. So we will see today,” Maresca added.

Maresca is eyeing the AEK match as a chance for City to bounce back from last week’s 4-2 loss at home to European champions Paris St Germain, which left City 17th in the table with three points from two matches.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2026