Is Bradley Barcola injured this weekend? Liverpool issue injury update

 Bradley Barcola of Liverpool at Anfield on August 31, 2026 in Anfield, England
Bradley Barcola (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool winger Bradley Barcola started for the first time in the Reds' 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Barcola was on the pitch for all three goals as Liverpool came back from a goal down to win their opening match in the league phase of this season's Champions League.

After an hour, the France international received treatment and had to be substituted. He was replaced by fellow new signing Victor Munoz as part of a double change, and Andoni Iraola's men went on to bank the three points.

Is Bradley Barcola available to play against Fulham?

Bradley Barcola of Liverpool injured

Barcola lasted an hour against Atleti (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, when former Reds man Alvaro Arbeloa takes his Fulham team to Anfield in search of their first points of the season.

Asked about Barcola's status after the comeback victory over Atleti on Wednesday, Iraola shared the prognosis with reporters.

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"It is just cramp, there is no injury," confirmed the new Reds boss.

"With Bradley, it's about building his physical condition. We don't really know - or we didn't know until now, probably - how much he can play because he hasn't had any minutes in pre-season for PSG.

"He played 30 the other day [and] today we had some question marks, how many minutes he can give us and probably now we know."

Left-back Milos Kerkez was also substituted at the end of the Champions League opener. Iraola revealed that he was also suffering from cramp.

"I think I always want to do subs because of this, because you've given everything, you don't have any more, perfect," he said.

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 23: Andoni Iraola manager / head coach of Liverpool reacts during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Newcastle United and Liverpool FC at St James' Park on August 23, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola (Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool now have a better understanding of Barcola's levels of match fitness but both he and Kerkez are expected to be available to play a part in Saturday's Premier League fixture against Fulham.

The Merseyside team are one of eight yet to be beaten in the Premier League in the first three games of the season. They beat Ipswich Town at Portman Road in their last league outing after back-to-back 2-2 draws against Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

Fulham have lost all three, including a pair of 3-2 losses against Chelsea and Crystal Palace. They led twice in their last match against the Eagles.

Chris is a Warwickshire-based freelance football writer specialising in West Midlands football, the Premier League, the EFL and the J.League. He is the author of the High Protein Beef Paste football newsletter and owner of Aston Villa Review. He supports Coventry Sphinx.

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