Two new winners have been announced for Liverpool’s legendary lactate test.

Jurgen Klopp’s club resumed preseason this week in preparation for the 2023-24 season.

The Reds will try to rebound from a disappointing season in their previous appearance. Due to their fifth-place finish, Anfield will host Europa League games rather than Champions League games this season.

However, the team has already begun to address the deficiencies of the previous season.

With the departures of players such as Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner at the end of the season, it’s undoubtedly “out with the old, in with the new.”

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were bought from RB Leipzig and Brighton, respectively.

And the latter made a strong impact on the first day of training in Liverpool.

The club held the famed lactate test, which Milner won every year he was a member.

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What is the lactate test in Liverpool?

The test measures a player’s aerobic stamina by having them run longer distances faster. At the end of each checkpoint, blood is collected from each player’s ear to determine their lactic acid level. If their level becomes too high, they must withdraw. It’s a race to the finish line.

The lactate test is designed to “learn the highest intensity at which a footballer can train or compete before hitting the wall from high levels of blood lactate,” according to EKF Diagnostics, which provides some of the equipment needed to carry it out.

“Once you reach this point, lactic acid will begin to accumulate in your muscles faster than your body can flush it out, eventually leading to fatigue.”

Lactate threshold testing and improvement can help athletes become faster and stronger.

Who won Liverpool’s lactate test in the absence of Milner?

It was discovered that the 23/24 edition had two winners.

According to Liverpool’s ‘Inside Training’ video, the team was divided into two groups, with Mohamed Salah and Szoboszlai emerging as the winners.

The pair looked like absolute machines as they outlasted their teammates to dethrone Milner.

In the video, when asked what his favorite part of the day was, Szoboszlai replied, “Running.”

Andy Robertson discusses Liverpool’s pre-season preparations.

Andy Robertson was interviewed about the preseason on the Peter Crouch podcast. He admitted that he had never seen a player as fit as James Milner before.

On our crew, we have a number of guys with powerful engines, such as Hendo, Gini, and Robbo. “I doubt I’ll ever see someone as physically fit as him, Milly,” Robertson remarked.

“I remember Kev Stewart challenging him in preseason a few years ago. To still be the fittest player on perhaps the fittest squad in the world at his age and for as long as he has, by some distance, takes some doing.

During the lactate test, Robertson vomited.

Robertson also described how the lactate test made him nauseous on his first day at the club.

“It really hit home the day I signed, when we got the stadium tour and everything.” Although it was preseason, there were just a handful of us there on my first day, and Danny Ings was just returning from a serious injury, as I recall.

He waited behind, and we had to perform the lactate test—basically, jogging as hard as you can—that the Germans love. I can still picture myself racing next to Danny Ings while feeling very nauseous. Actually sick in the body. The test involves setting up poles throughout the field, which you must complete on the whistle as the pace quickens over time.

“Since my medical appointment took two days, I didn’t really eat, so I attributed my lack of energy to that. While Ingsy was speaking to me on the way around, I just had a sense that something wasn’t right. I made an attempt to keep it in my mouth, but I had to let it go. It was awful. First day!

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