Wirtz slow start prompts patience ahead of Real Madrid clash

Florian Wirtz, the 22 year old midfielder Liverpool signed in the summer for a fee reported at roughly 100 million pounds, has yet to score for his new club and has provided three assists in early appearances, prompting public calls for patience from both Liverpool manager Arne Slot and Wirtz’s former boss Xabi Alonso ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League visit to Anfield this week. Alonso, who coached Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen and is now Real Madrid’s manager, said he has “no doubts” the Germany international will adapt and succeed in the Premier League.

Wirtz arrived at Liverpool after helping Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title in 2023–24 and being named the division’s player of the year. He has started fewer Premier League matches than expected and has been used from the bench in several league games, statistics that have intensified scrutiny given the size of the transfer fee. Slot and Alonso have both defended him, attributing the slow start to the adjustment required when moving from the Bundesliga to England’s more intense schedule.

Slot told reporters that the Premier League’s frequency and intensity, with periods of three games in seven days, can be demanding...