AcademyYouth League preview: 'It's a great competition to be involved in'
Rob Page believes the UEFA Youth League provides a perfect platform for Liverpool's U19s to learn and grow.
Atletico Madrid visit the Academy on Wednesday (3pm BST kick-off) as the Reds’ 2025-26 campaign in the competition gets under way.
The match will be shown live on All Red Video and members can watch at video.liverpoolfc.com.
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U21s head coach Page will take charge of the Youth League squad this season, assisted by U18s boss Simon Wiles.
Page spoke to Liverpoolfc.com to preview the tournament, with the Reds also set to face Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven and Internazionale before Christmas.
Read the Q&A below.
On the benefits of playing in the Youth League…
It’s a great competition to be involved in and great for the younger lads to come up against some of the best young footballers in Europe, and some of the best clubs in Europe. From a learning point of view it is excellent for them to be involved in it.
On the games taking the young players out of their comfort zone…
They do but it is great learnings for them. You want them to experience what players are like in Turkey against Galatasaray and in Milan and the top clubs in those countries. The message I give to the players is, we know you are good players and you wouldn’t be at this football club if you weren’t a good player. When you play against European clubs you’ve got to play the game and be wise at the same time. That will be a part of the game that maybe we take the biggest learnings from.
Tactically, the teams we are going to be up against are probably not going to throw anything too different to the top Premier League 2 clubs we face, so it won’t be that much different, but maybe individual players might be, so it will be a good test. If we come up against a very good centre-forward then our centre-backs should relish that challenge, embrace it and enjoy it.
Again, it’s about us doing the not-so-pretty side of the game really well and then earning the right to play. I am constantly saying that to the lads and the U21s group, as you can’t just turn up in any game and expect to play from the first minute. You’ve got to earn that right: that’s any team you play against but certainly against these top European teams.
On starting with home advantage against Atletico…
A great game. We are looking forward to it, it’s an afternoon kick-off for us and hopefully we’ll have a few supporters there to cheer the boys on. We have a young group and what a way to start.
On working alongside Wiles with the U19s group…
Me and Alex [Inglethorpe] had a conversation in the summer prior to me coming in and I think every club or international side I’ve been involved in, I’ve tried to get the U21s, the second team, alongside us. With us shadowing what the first team do in terms of training, I think it’s important that the U18s do that as well. The reason we do this is we can have a look at some of the better players and some of the lads that are pushing for a place in the U21s and it gives us the opportunity, if they are training at the same time, to have a conversation with Simon in the morning.
Simon will tell me who he thinks is ready to make that step up, whether it’s once or twice a week, to join the U21s training. I’ve always liked that and I’ve always liked having that continuity. That has been something that we have changed for this season and that gives us an opportunity to look at the best younger players. The U18s will also do the same with the U16s and I’ve always thought that as soon as they are good enough, irrespective of age, then push them on. I’ve done it everywhere else I’ve been and it’s no different here. I think with this competition, working closely with Simon, it gives us the opportunity to do that.
On Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni being regulars in Arne Slot’s senior squad this season...
It has been excellent for the lads in our group to see the progression the likes of Trey and Rio, for example, have made by stepping into the first-team squad. It’s encouraging for the other players as well, so they keep trying to give their best every day then who knows what might happen in the future? Fair play to the club, they’ve got a rich history of lads they have developed over the years and we are seeing it now with Rio and Trey in particular.
On the enjoyment he is taking from coaching younger players and being at Liverpool...
I am really enjoying it and really enjoying my time here at this club. I wanted to come into something that was more of a project rather than just go back into senior football. There are some great lads here. They have just been on the international break so I’ve had some really good conversations with the English coaches and working together to get the best out of the players.
It’s not just about the results at this age group. It’s about developing players, whether it’s for our first team or elsewhere to get them a career in the game. I went to watch Dannsy [Jayden Danns] play for England U20s against Italy and he scored, he got another hour under his belt and I thought he was excellent on the night. Dannsy has got a bright future if he continues to develop as we think he will. I spoke with the England coach and if we work together then we will give Dannsy the best opportunity to develop going forward, which I’m sure he will.