Jurgen Klopp is without four first-team players as Liverpool get set to face AS Roma at Stadio Olimpico in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday.
The UEFA Champions League finale at Kiev has been half set, with Real Madrid beating Bayern Munich on Tuesday. Liverpool will now be looking to join Los Blancos and reach their first final since 2007 when they visit Stadio Olimpico to take on AS Roma in the second leg of their semi-final tie on Wednesday.
But, Jurgen Klopp doesn’t have it easy ahead of the return leg, despite a 5-2 lead, with reports of his assistant Zeljko Buvac, who will be unavailable for the remainder of the season for personal reasons, reportedly having a training ground bust-up, and set to leave Liverpool.
That’s not all, with the manager also missing a few key players. The problems start right at the back, with Joel Matip done for the season due to a thigh injury, and Joe Gomez missing the trip to the Italian capital due to an ankle injury he sustained in the goalless draw against Stoke City last weekend.
Klopp provided an update on Gomez’s injury during his pre-match press conference, iterating that the injury is nothing major to worry about for the Liverpool fans, although he was unable to set a date for his return.
“He had a little bit of a setback in the early stages of the last game. He came through somehow, to be honest, but after the game the injury was still there so we’ve left him at home. It’s only a little setback for Joe, but we have to see how long he will be out for. I don’t know at the moment.”
In Gomez’s absence, Trent Alexander-Arnold should be back as the right-back after shrugging off a dead leg, having started as a midfielder in the game against Stoke. Klopp also provided a fitness update on the young defender and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, who is also braving injury to be available on Wednesday.
“[Henderson and Alexander-Arnold] have had a two-day recovery and today will train normally. Alberto got a little bit of a knock. We will see, but it looks like he can train tonight. The rest should be available.”
At the heart of the Liverpool defence, Dejan Lovren should return to line up alongside Virgil van Dijk, while Andrew Robertson should be the left-back, after being rested on the weekend. Behind the back-four, Loris Karius should retain his place between the sticks.
Up ahead in midfield, Jurgen Klopp is down to his bare bones, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) and Emre Can (back) on the sidelines. Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner remain the only choices for the Liverpool boss, with Adam Lallana not fit enough to take the field.
Upfront, the fearsome threesome should reunite after Sadio Mane missed the weekend’s action due to an injury. The Senegalese should line up alongside Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, with the trio looking to make Liverpool the first side in Europe to score at Stadio Olimpico this season.
