Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is set to face his former assistant, Inigo Perez, in a Champions League clash on Tuesday night. Perez, now the head coach of Villarreal, was reportedly denied a work permit to join Iraola's staff at Bournemouth in 2023, a situation attributed to the UK's departure from the European Union.
Iraola had attempted to bring Perez to England when he was hired by Bournemouth from Rayo Vallecano. However, the Home Office decided Perez lacked the necessary qualifications for an assistant coach, leaving him unable to work in the UK.
Despite the initial setback, Iraola noted that the turn of events has "worked very well for him also." Perez went on to manage Rayo Vallecano, guiding them to two eighth-place finishes and a Europa Conference League final before taking the helm at Villarreal. Iraola described the upcoming match as "a special game because he is my friend."