The final day of the UCL League Phase is now upon us, and Liverpool will host Qarabag FK in the finale. Reds boss Arne Slot could be without the services of up to seven players, for a myriad of reasons. Ibrahima Konate is on bereavement leave, following the tragic loss of his father. He’s missed the past two games and returned to his native France, where his father’s funeral was staged on Friday.
His return to the squad is to be determined at this time.
UCL League Phase Finale
Matchday 8 of 8: Liverpool vs Qarabag FK
Kickoff: Wed Jan 28, 8pm, Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Latest on Andy Robertson transfer talks: go here
UCL Standing, Form: Liverpool 4th 15 pts WWLWW Qarabag FK LDLLW
Win Probability: Liverpool 86% Draw 10% Qarabag FK 4%
Reds Team News
“I spoke to him a few times,” Slot told reporters on Friday.
“I think these are private matters and they should stay between us. But it’s very obvious that if something like that happens, then the player needs time to be there for his family, and also time for himself.”
After the funeral, Konate took to social media and wrote: “Thank you all so much for your messages, calls, thoughts and presence today at the mosque.
“Even though I haven’t had the strength or time to reply to everyone, This really touched me and did a lot of good. Thank you for your support and prayers. May Allah keep you safe.”
Meanwhile the injury woes continue for Joe Gomez, who collided awkwardly with teammate and goalkeeper Alisson yesterday, in the loss to AFC Bournemouth.
He was not able to continue on, after suffering an apparent head injury, and had to be replaced by Wataru Endo, after receiving treatment on the pitch. Gomez has missed a lot of time this season, and he’s seemingly set to now miss even more.
Federico Chiesa remains touch-and-go with an unspecified/undisclosed issue, so he may not be risked in this one.
Liverpool are in good shape to move on to the next round and Qarabag is one of the weakest sides in the competition.
Also, Andy Robertson could be on the move to Tottenham and we covered that in this post. And then finally, Alex Isak, Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.