The UEFA Champions League is here in earnest, with the preliminary phases now behind us. It’s always a special time for Liverpool FC and their supporters, given their rich history in the continental competition. The quest for European Cup/UCL title #7 begins on Wednesday, with a visit from Atletico Madrid. Heading into this midweek European clash, the team news/injury situation remains the same, for both sides.
The situation with the five standing injury absentees for Liverpool (as well as the two for Atletico) remains the same.
Champions League FYIs
Atletico Madrid at Liverpool
Kickoff: Wed. Sept. 9, 8pm
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool, UK
Result Probability, According to Google: Liverpool win 56% Draw 26% Atletico Madrid win 36%
Liverpool Team News
“The closest one is Joe,” Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola said on Thursday of defender Joe Gomez, who suffered an unspecified muscular injury in the preseason opener against Sunderland in Nashville, TN.
“Joe will probably start training with us next week, and it has gone normally. The recovery from a muscle injury – more or less, we were expecting the time on this. I hope we can have him before the break, let’s say.”
During the same session, ahead of the Friday night win over Ipswich Town, Iraola added:
“I think the next one probably should be Giovanni Leoni. I think the plan is also to start training during the [international] break, with the group.”
So while Leoni (knee injury) will be the next one to return, he still won’t be back for awhile. Neither will the remaining three injured Reds.
“I think even Fede (Federico Chiesa) should be around those dates, and probably Conor (Bradley), and especially Hugo (Ekitike), will go later, yes,” Iraola said.
For Atleti, Arnau Ortiz is out due to a suspension while Alexander Sorloth is out with a muscular injury.
Liverpool Predicted Starting XI
Alisson Becker; Ronald Araújo, Jérémy Jacquet, Virgil van Dijk, Milos Kerkez; Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister; Víctor Muñoz, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo; Alexander Isak
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, Ratings and RG. 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.