Liverpool’s preparations for their upcoming Premier League clash with Chelsea began on Tuesday, as players started returning to the AXA Training Centre following the international break.
Head coach Arne Slot, who had taken a brief trip back to the Netherlands during the break, also returned to Merseyside to oversee the training sessions at Kirkby.
The break provided most of Liverpool’s senior players with a chance to represent their national teams across the globe. For Slot and his coaching staff, it was an opportunity to rest and recharge before the demanding run of fixtures resumes. This pause in domestic football allowed Slot some personal time, during which he traveled back to the Netherlands with his family.
According to a report from The Athletic’s James Pearce, Slot spent his time off in Zwolle, where he has been based for many years. While Slot was born in Bergentheim, a village near the Dutch-German border, he settled in Zwolle, which is about a 40-minute drive from his hometown, before moving to England for his role at Liverpool. Despite now having a house in the northwest of England, Slot used this break to return to familiar surroundings in the Netherlands.
During his time in Zwolle, Slot took the opportunity to catch some local football action. He attended a match between VV Heino and ONS Sneek in the Vierde Divisie, the fifth tier of Dutch football, at Sports Park De Kampen. Unfortunately, the home side, VV Heino, suffered a 3-2 defeat, and it’s unlikely Slot gleaned any tactical insights from the game.
Although Slot enjoyed some downtime, his focus would have shifted to Liverpool’s season ahead and the challenges awaiting his team, particularly Sunday’s crucial game against Chelsea. This upcoming fixture marks the Reds’ return to Premier League action following the international break, and Slot will be determined to avoid a repeat of what happened in September.
Liverpool’s only defeat under Slot came in the first match after the September international break, where a fatigued Reds squad was beaten by Nottingham Forest at Anfield. This time, however, the team has been given a little more breathing room. With kickoff against Chelsea scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Slot has had more time to prepare his players.
Additionally, several key players, including Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, returned early from international duty, allowing them extra recovery time ahead of the weekend’s big match. With these advantages, Slot will be eager to get his squad back to winning ways and maintain the strong form Liverpool has shown under his management.
As the team begins training again, Slot will also have an eye on the busy schedule ahead, knowing that every point counts in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive Premier League season. The international break may have offered some respite, but for Slot and his players, the hard work continues as they gear up for Chelsea’s visit to Anfield.
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