Liverpool, set to face AC Milan in a friendly match this Saturday (July 26) at Kai Tak, departed from Manchester, UK, in the early hours of yesterday (July 21), Hong Kong time and arrived safely in the afternoon. According to the squad list released by Liverpool, all key players—including Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and new signings Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, and Jeremy Frimpong—are present, except Italian forward Federico Chiesa, promising fans an exciting match.
The team reportedly used a private airport exit to head straight to their hotel, with no official welcoming event arranged. The 29-man squad features captain Van Dijk, star attacker Salah, goalkeeper Alisson, recruits Wirtz, Kerkez, and Frimpong, as well as Luis Díaz, who has been linked with a potential departure.
Liverpool players are scheduled to meet the media and hold an open training session on Thursday afternoon (July 24) before taking on AC Milan on Saturday evening at Kai Tak.
Pre-tour warm-up: 5-0 victory over Stoke City
To sharpen their form, Liverpool played a closed-door friendly against Stoke City before their flight. New signing Wirtz featured, while Darwin Núñez stole the show with a hat-trick, supported by goals from Chiesa and young talent Ngumoha, sealing a dominant 5-0 win.
Wirtz, Liverpool's £127 million summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, was deployed in his preferred attacking midfield role ("No. 10") by head coach Arne Slot and contributed two assists.
After the match, the team promptly boarded a chartered flight from Manchester Airport at dusk (local time). The flight touched down at Hong Kong International Airport after 3 p.m. yesterday, with the club's official social media promptly releasing photos and videos of the squad's arrival.
Among them, Mohamed Salah—who last visited Hong Kong with the team in 2017—was seen beaming with joy. The squad then proceeded directly via a special airport corridor to board the club's signature red-branded bus, heading to their hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Undeterred by lingering rain from the recent typhoon Wipha, Liverpool supporters clad in team jerseys had already gathered outside the hotel. The venue designated a dedicated fan zone, with police officers maintaining order.
Tactical shake-up: Szoboszlai's positional dilemma
Wirtz's arrival appears to have pushed Hungarian international Dominik Szoboszlai into a right-back role during the friendly. If he struggles to adapt, his playing time may be limited unless midfield stalwarts Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, or Wirtz are rested or injured.
Liverpool's recruitment drive remains active, with multiple British outlets confirming a €90 million deal (plus €5 million in add-ons) with Eintracht Frankfurt for French striker Hugo Ekitike. The 23-year-old is set to sign a six-year contract, and the club is rushing paperwork to potentially include him in the Asia tour—though it's unclear if he'll make the Hong Kong leg.
AC Milan's Schedule
Meanwhile, opponents AC Milan have also begun their Asia tour, though newly signed Croatian star Luka Modrić (formerly of Real Madrid and a Club World Cup winner) is absent. AC Milan landed in Singapore on Sunday night for a friendly against Arsenal on Tuesday (July 23) before flying to Hong Kong on Thursday.
Like Liverpool, AC Milan will use a private airport transfer to their hotel and hold a pre-match press conference and open training on Friday afternoon.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Yang Haoran; English Editor: Darius)
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