Liverpool began their Premier League title defence with a 4-2 win over Bournemouth on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 season.
Despite the defeat, Andoni Iraola expressed pride in his team’s display.
Arne Slot’s champions made life difficult for themselves at Anfield, with defensive frailties on show. Liverpool looked in control after 50 minutes thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike and Cody Gakpo, but Bournemouth responded with two quick-fire counterattacks from Antoine Semenyo to level the contest.
The hosts eventually regained the upper hand, and with just two minutes of normal time left, substitute Federico Chiesa produced a stunning volley amid a scramble in the visitors’ box, sending the Kop into raptures. Mohamed Salah then sealed the result in stoppage time with a composed finish for Liverpool’s fourth.
While Bournemouth left Anfield empty-handed, Iraola insisted there were positives to take. Speaking afterwards, the Cherries’ head coach said:
“Really pleased with the performance. I think today we’ve missed a big chance to take something from the game. Probably the game was quite level from both sides.”
“I would say that means that we played really well, to play a quite level game against Liverpool. The key to take the points obviously is not to concede four goals. I don’t think today was a game to concede four goals.
“When the momentum was for our side, we scored [to make it] 2-2. At the end, it’s a kind of poor goal, to concede the third one, two players going for the first ball, the same ball clearance.
“It’s true that Chiesa finishes really well. That’s why they are so good, because in moments where they are struggling, they are not having the chances, someone appears.
”In this case it was Chiesa that made a difference. And it’s a shame. It’s a shame because I think it’s really proud of a lot of things that we’ve done. The players have given everything.
“The easiest thing was to give up with the 2-0 because you are playing well and then you find yourself 2-0. But it didn’t happen. It’s true that we missed the last part and it’s a shame.”
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