Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that he cannot wait to get going as he prepares his side for their first summer friendly.
The Reds return to non-competitive action on Saturday afternoon with a trip to Chester FC, five weeks on from their Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid.
Klopp is happy with the quick turnaround and wants his squad, which should contain new signings Fabinho and Naby Keita, to hit the ground running at the Deva Stadium.
“After the holidays, the boys have to adapt to the intensity and stuff like that – all the things we did in training. So it makes sense that they play 45 minutes,” he told the club’s official website.
“I’m not sure if we have two complete teams because not really all positions are covered, but that’s the plan. Go there and get used to proper football again, that’s why we do it.
“So I’m looking forward to it. It’s a first little test for us and hopefully we are ready. We always do it out of full training; we don’t think too much about the games during the week. So that will be quite intense for the boys, especially with these temperatures at the moment. But it’s all good, let’s go.”
Klopp has already revealed that Adam Lallana and Joel Matip will be absent this weekend due to illness and a thigh injury respectively.