Liverpool’s pre-season preparations were dealt a setback as they suffered a 4-2 defeat to AC Milan in a friendly in Hong Kong on Saturday, with defensive frailties on the counter-attack proving costly for the Premier League champions.
In an emotionally charged match that featured numerous tributes to the late Diogo Jota, Arne Slot’s side was repeatedly caught on the break by their Serie A opponents. Rafael Leão, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Noah Okafor all scored for Milan by exploiting Liverpool’s high defensive line.
The Reds fielded an experimental backline in the first half, with Ryan Gravenberch playing alongside Virgil van Dijk. This new pairing was quickly exposed as Leão broke free to score a powerful opening goal in the 10th minute. Liverpool responded 16 minutes later with a moment of brilliance from Dominik Szoboszlai, who clipped a stunning long-range shot into the top corner to equalise.
Despite impressive first-half performances from club-record signing Florian Wirtz and 16-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool’s defensive issues resurfaced after the break. With ten changes made at halftime, the Reds were again caught cold as Leão set up former Chelsea midfielder Loftus-Cheek for a simple finish. Just seven minutes later, Noah Okafor made it 3-1, clinically converting from an Alexis Saelemaekers pass.
Cody Gakpo pulled a goal back for Liverpool with a header in the 93rd minute, but any hope of a comeback was extinguished a minute later when a calamitous mix-up between new goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Kostas Tsimikas allowed Okafor to roll the ball into an empty net.
The match was preceded by heartfelt tributes to Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash earlier this month. Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath on the pitch, while fans created a ‘DJ20’ mosaic. Players wore shirts bearing a “Forever 20” emblem in reference to Jota’s now-retired number. After scoring, Jota’s Portugal teammate Rafael Leão dedicated his goal to his late friend by making the number 20 with his fingers.
Liverpool were without defender Joe Gomez, who has returned to England for treatment on an Achilles problem. Speaking after the match, manager Arne Slot addressed the club’s transfer activity, stating his satisfaction with the summer signings but emphasizing the need to continue strengthening the squad to defend their Premier League title.
“If you do the same as we did last year we will probably not be able to win it again. So, we have to improve,” Slot said. “We’ve tried to bring new energy in but also ‘weapons’.”
Liverpool’s pre-season tour continues with a match against Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan on Wednesday.
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