Liverpool will continue with their pre-season training camp in Austria despite the country being added to the UK's quarantine list this weekend.
Jurgen Klopp's side have been training in the outskirts of Salzburg in preparation for the beginning of the 20/21 Premier League season, starting on 12 September.
The Reds had originally planned on a training camp in Evian but were forced to relocate after France was added to the UK government's list of countries that require visitors to observe a 14-day period of quarantine on return.
The government announced on Thursday that Austria would be added to the list from 4am on Saturday, August 22, prompting fears the Reds would have to cancel their camp and return back to the UK before the deadline.
But according to the Standard Sport and Echo, Liverpool will complete their preparations with Austria and apply for an exemption because they are considered elite athletes with matches scheduled during their time in the region.
It means Liverpool's scheduled pre-season friendlies against RB Salzburg on Saturday and VfB Stuttgart on Tuesday will go ahead as planned.
Their fixture against Salzburg will see Liverpool play in front of supporters for the first time since before lockdown.
While empty stands have been a familiar sight in recent months, Salzburg are allowing 1,250 season ticket holders inside the stadium as part of a pilot for Austrian fans to return to games.
Speaking when the friendlies were announced, Klopp said: “Actually it's like we planned, how we all know, this camp pretty late, so we are really pleased that we found this calibre of opponent.
“The agency who helped us with organisation came up immediately with Stuttgart and said they are in the area so maybe we can make a game there. Then they were happy, we are very happy, so that's good, first and foremost.
Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images
“We are here in the wider Salzburg area, so on the way home pretty much, if you want, we play them.
“From a sports point of view, it's important for us obviously after the mini-break to find our feet as quick as possible, if you want. Training looks really, really good in the moment – this is actually what we expected, the boys didn't lose a lot from the physical abilities.
“So now [we] are in the middle of the preparation, all the tactical stuff already. So it looks really good in the moment and the two opponents are really good opponents, so that will be really tough.
“How it is always, you play these out of full training, so the boys have to fight, dig deep but I think they will do that.
“These are not the most important games in the world but in this moment they are very, very important because we just want to see that the boys again use the things we think they should use in a game. First chance on the 22nd.”
