Alexis Mac Allister is among the Liverpool players who have advanced to the knockout stages of an international tournament this summer, with Argentina moving on to the quarter-finals as group leaders.
Liverpool boasts seven players in the Euro knockout stages and two more in the Copa America, with Mac Allister and Luis Diaz progressing to the competition's last eight.
While Argentina secured their position as group leaders, Diaz's Colombia has the potential to finish either first or second in Group D, a determination that hinges on their upcoming match against Alisson's Brazil on Tuesday.
Mac Allister observed from the sidelines as Argentina clinched the top spot with a 2-0 victory over Peru, granting him a well-deserved rest after three consecutive starts in international matches this summer.
Having logged the third-highest number of minutes among Liverpool players in the 2023/24 season (3,506 minutes), and considering his additional international duties, the 25-year-old has had a demanding year.
As the decisive stages of Copa America approach, it was notable that Lionel Scaloni kept Mac Allister on the bench for the entire match.
He did likewise with Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, Rodrigo De Paul, Nahuel Molina, and Lisandro Martinez, aiming to keep his team as rested as possible for the quarter-final match.
Argentina is set to face the runner-up of Group B, which is currently Ecuador, although this could shift in the last round of group matches since only goal difference sets them above Mexico.
The game is scheduled for Thursday evening in the United States, which translates to early Friday morning in the UK, indicating that Mac Allister is likely to miss at least the first pre-season game for the Reds.
Argentina's position in the draw ensures that he won't encounter any of his Liverpool teammates until the final or the third-place playoff, should they advance to that stage.
Players are entitled to up to three weeks of rest following their international duties. Therefore, even if there's an early knockout round exit, player number 10 would be expected to return by July 27, coinciding with Liverpool's match against Real Betis in Pittsburgh.
Given that Argentina is favored to win the Copa America, it's probable that Mac Allister will rejoin the team in early August.
