Asia tour lost 2-4 to Milan in the first match, Liverpool has good luck and worries

On July 26, 2025, Liverpool lost to AC Milan 2-4 in its first match of the Asian Tour. This defeat not only caused the Reds to be in a dark game, but also exposed the five key issues that the team needs to solve urgently.

1. The central defender is in a hurry: the shortage of defense personnel is the primary problem facing Liverpool at present. Joe Gomez said goodbye to Asia early due to an Achilles tendon injury. Although the club claimed that his injury was not serious, his health is still worrying considering his only 11 minutes of playing time this season. To make matters worse, Kanssa switched to Leverkusen for £35 million, leaving Liverpool with only three experienced central defenders, and one of them has been injured and retired. In the match against Milan, coach Slott had to make Gravenbec and Zimikas come temporarily as a central defender, which was obviously a stopgap measure. Even though Gravenbech had played in this position, fixing him on the defense will undoubtedly weaken the creativity of the midfield. Although Liverpool has spent 295 million pounds to sign for a squad this summer and is about to sign Alexander Isak, at least one player needs to be strengthened at the center back position. What is even more worrying is that Connat's contract will expire in 2026, and Real Madrid is closely monitoring its trends.

2. The defense line is unstable: There are many loopholes and urgently need to be run-in. In this game, Liverpool's defense line performance is a disaster. Van Dijk made many mistakes in the first half. Although it was understandable that it was a warm-up match, the team's first goal was due to Gravenbech's missed position and poor competition, and Leo took the opportunity to score. Van Dijk's negative attitude when defending was almost "watching" Leo completes his shot.

In the second half, when Conat and Zimikas partnered with the central defender, the defense line was still full of loopholes. Milan easily broke through the defense line in both counterattacks and scored a goal from each side. Fullbacks Connor Bradley and Milos Kerkez were also easily broken through by Leo and Salemacles many times and completed a fatal blow. Although this is not the end of the world, Slott obviously has a lot of work to do on the defensive end.

3. Wirz shines: Mr. Billion yuan shows core potential

Although the team lost, Wirz's outstanding performance is undoubtedly the biggest surprise of Liverpool in this game. 50,000 fans on the scene were fortunate to be the first group of spectators to witness the official appearance of the German midfielder wearing the Red Army's jersey. Liverpool spent £116 million to sign him, and Wiltz also proved his ability to change the team's tactical system with practical actions.

He showed superb skills and excellent passing vision in the game, creating excellent scoring opportunities for his teammates many times, but unfortunately he failed to convert into assists. What is even more impressive is that the cooperation between him and Salah is very tacit, and the two seem to have a little bit of harmony on the court, which undoubtedly injects more expectations into Liverpool's offensive end next season.

4. Potential Rio Ngumoha, 16, is a highlight of this game. This talented boy who switched to Liverpool from Chelsea's youth training camp caused huge trouble for Milan's defense in the first half, showing great dribbling and creativity. Despite a mistake shortly after the opening, he quickly adjusted his form and regained his confidence. Although it still needs to improve in terms of passing and breaking options, considering his age and talent, such performance is rare.

Another young player, Trey Nioni, was also eye-catching. The 18-year-old midfielder joined Liverpool from Leicester City last year and has made six appearances this season. Head coach Slott has high expectations for him, and he has also broken through the Milan defense line many times in this game. Although he failed to score, the potential he showed is exciting.

5. South American Double Stars: The farewell moment may be coming

Louis Dias and Darwin Nunes did not enter the 22-man roster in this game, which undoubtedly triggered speculation from the outside world about their future. The two are likely to say goodbye to Anfield this summer, although they are still on the Asian Tour with the team.

Bayern is preparing to submit a second offer to Dias, after its first offer of £58 million has been rejected. The Colombians also seem to be ready for a new challenge. Rumors of Nunez's departure have been around for a long time, but no club is willing to pay Liverpool's psychological price of £70 million. Saudi club may restart negotiations, and Naples has also had an affair with him.

It is worth mentioning that McAllister has recovered from injury last season and has completely returned to training; Endo Katsu will also return to his hometown of Japan, after he missed some preseason due to illness. These positive signals may add some brightness to Liverpool's future.