For Divock Origi, Xherdan Shaqiri and others, the ultimate chance to be the supreme hero is here. When Liverpool host Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final tomorrow night, Sadio Mane will be the only first team forward leading the line.
Mohamed Salah (concussion) and Roberto Firmino are now confirmed out, making the uphill climb to try and overturn a 3-0 deficit that much harder now.
“Two of the world’s best strikers are not available tomorrow night and we have to score four goals,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, as he answered the first question in his news conference today.
“It doesn’t make life easier but as long as we will try for 90 minutes to celebrate the Champions League campaign to give it a proper finish. That’s the plan.”
“If we can do it, wonderful. If we can’t do it, let’s fail in the most beautiful way.”
Full Jurgen Klopp press conference video below:
Liverpool at FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League Semi-final (Barca up 3-0 on Aggregate) FYIs
Kickoff- Tuesday May 7, Anfield 8pm
Full injury report for both sides: go to this link
Starting XI Predictions- FC Barcelona Liverpool
Google Result Probability- FC Barcelona win 30%, Draw 26%, Liverpool win 44%
Odds via Lad Brokes- FC Barcelona 11/5, Draw 13/5, Liverpool win 11/10
Prediction: Liverpool 2, Barcelona 1 (Barca goes through to the final on aggregate 4-2)
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets:Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.