Mainz 4-0 Liverpool: Reds final friendly ends in defeat

Friendly
Sunday 07 August 2016 - 2:45 pm
Opel Arena, Mainz
Mainz 054
0Liverpool
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⚽️ Brosinski15'
⚽️ Cordoba45'
⚽️ Malli59'
⚽️ Muto75'
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Less than 24 hours after winning at Wembley the reds were well beaten by Bundesliga side Mainz 05 in Germany.

The wisdom of playing a friendly within a day of a game against Barcelona had surprised many - but it seemed the rebranding of the Opel Stadium and the return of Klopp to his former club was a marketing exercise that Liverpool couldn't turn down.

Mainz 4-0 Liverpool

It was a heavily changed side from that which beat Barcelona - a total of 9 changes to the starting XI with Alex Manninger taking charge of goal.  Matip and Andre Wisdom formed an unlikely centre-back partnership - with Moreno and Alexander Arnold at full back.

The reds went behind in the 15th minute when the home side were gifted a penalty - the decision of handball going against Andre Wisdom.

On the stroke of half time the German side added another - Manninger easily beaten on his near post.

Marko Grujic was subbed off during the first half with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

Some changes at half time - with youngsters replacing some legs that needed protecting.  Portugese 17 year old Toni Gomes amongst those wearing the senior shirt for the first time.

Kevin Stewart was caught out a number of times in the centre of the park and just before the hour - it was all so easy for Mainz to move through the non-existant midfield and make it 3.

A fourth goal was headed in to complete a miserable afternoon for the reds.

The friendlies are over - the real action starts next week with the beginning of the Premier League.

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