Liverpool begin where it all ended earlier this year when they open their UEFA Youth League campaign on Wednesday afternoon. And don't be surprised if there are fireworks.
The Reds matched their best-ever performance in the competition last season when they were beaten in the quarter-finals at Juventus. Now, with their group schedule echoing that of the first team in the Champions League, Liverpool are back in Italy to take on Napoli for a third time in five years.
It’s a fixture that has assumed a certain edge. Layton Stewart scored a late equaliser to earn Liverpool a 1-1 draw three years ago, while 12 months previous Napoli scored a controversial injury-time leveller despite there being two balls on the pitch at the time, prompting an already-volatile clash to boil over.
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Barry Lewtas, the under-21s coach, was in charge of both games and will once again helm the U19s side in Europe this year, assisted by U18s boss Marc-Bridge Wilkinson. And he expects a testing examination at the Stadio Comunale Giuseppe Piccolo (kick-off 12pm).
"The previous two times I took the team we played Napoli in the group, and it was always the tough game," said Lewtas, whose side will also take on Ajax and Rangers. "We played very well on home turf, but away from home it was tough, and we had to dig deep.
"I have been very fortunate to have been involved in quite a few campaigns now in the UEFA Youth League and it’s very exciting. The players are as well, we did well in the competition last season reaching the quarter-finals, and we want to do well in it again. It’s a great competition for the players and it’s also a great competition for the staff as well. It’s a really good learning experience for everyone."
The youthful nature of Liverpool’s U21 side means many regulars are available for the UEFA Youth League this season, with several having previous experience in Europe.
Recent senior debutants Stefan Bajcetic and Bobby Clark are both eligible, as are Luke Chambers, Isaac Mabaya and Harvey Davies, who all featured for the first team during the pre-season programme. Ben Doak, the 16-year-old winger signed from Celtic in the summer who has been impressing with the U18s, could also feature, along with Trent Kone-Doherty, Lewis Koumas and Oakley Cannonier.
"Some of the new players won’t have played in this competition before, so it will be their first experience of travelling away with us and representing the football club," said Lewtas to liverpoolfc.com. "The game is the most important bit first and foremost, but in terms of preparation for this game it is different to what the lads are normally used to.
"Away games are tough, you have to get used to playing on different surfaces you are not used to and some teams use artificial surfaces. We need to understand how difficult it is to go away from home in this competition, put our style into the game and obviously try to strive to get the three points."
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