Arne Slot on Conor Bradley’s Development Ahead of Real Madrid Clash
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has spoken about Conor Bradley’s progress as the young defender prepares for the club’s upcoming Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.
Slot emphasised that Bradley must continue to build physical resilience if he wants to make the leap to the next level of his career.
The 22-year-old right-back, who stepped up as backup to Trent Alexander-Arnold, is expected to feature against Madrid. Since Alexander-Arnold’s summer transfer to Real, Bradley has been fighting to cement his place as Liverpool’s first-choice right-back.
However, his development has been slowed by recurring hamstring injuries, one of which he suffered late in last season’s 2–0 victory over Real Madrid, despite delivering one of his best performances to date.
With Jeremie Frimpong currently sidelined with a similar issue, Bradley now has a prime opportunity to make the position his own. Speaking ahead of the Madrid game, Slot stressed that adapting to Liverpool’s intense fixture schedule is crucial to the youngster’s growth.
Slot on Bradley’s Progress
“The most important thing for him is staying fit,” Slot said. “He was excellent in that game, but unfortunately, he only lasted 80 minutes before picking up a hamstring problem. That’s been his biggest challenge.
“We just discussed Florian [Wirtz], and the same principle applies to Conor — playing every three days at this level without breaking down physically. That’s a big step, especially considering he missed most of pre-season.
“He’s also had some bad luck — a few times when he started, we were behind, so I had to make attacking changes and bring on players like Szoboszlai at full-back. But when we’ve been in control, like against Everton or last weekend, he’s played the full 90 and looked stronger each time.
“He’s progressing well, gaining rhythm, and showing what he can do. The next step is maintaining that level throughout a packed schedule. We’ve got outstanding young players, and with time, they’ll all adjust.”
Slot on Bradley’s Display Against Aston Villa
Bradley was among Liverpool’s standout performers in their 2–0 win over Aston Villa, a result that earned praise from his manager.
“The more the players play together, the better they get,” Slot explained. “You can’t compare Trent and Conor — they’re different profiles — but Conor had a great match, as did many others. It was a true team performance: everyone defended bravely, pressed high, and gave everything.
“There were lots of positives, including Conor’s display. His next challenge is to get used to playing full matches consistently, because he’s still finding his rhythm. With quick turnarounds between games, we’ll have to manage that. But yes — he played very well today.”
