PARIS, FRANCE - Friday, May 27, 2022: Liverpool's Divock Origi during a training session at the Stade de France ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final game between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid CF. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Divock Origi joins Liverpool’s final preparations in Paris despite injury blow

Divock Origi will play no part in Liverpool’s Champions League final against Real Madrid, but the club have ensured the departing striker is still involved.

It will not be the dream finale many hoped for Origi, who has been ruled out of tonight’s final with a muscle injury suffered in training last weekend.

But the Belgian, who is confirmed to be leaving on the expiry of his contract on July 1, is still part of the Liverpool squad in Paris with Jurgen Klopp eager to keep him around.

Origi watched on as the Reds took in their open training session at the Stade de France on Friday evening, and stayed with the squad in the team hotel before departing for final preparations on Saturday morning.

The 27-year-old is expected to join the substitutes’ bench but not be part of the 23-man matchday selection, with third goalkeeper Adrian and fifth-choice centre-back Rhys Williams the other two travelling players likely to be omitted.

Though a free transfer to AC Milan is in the process of being finalised, this is a marker of Klopp’s regard for his long-serving No. 27.

MADRID, SPAIN - SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2019: Liverpool's goal-scorer Divock Origi kisses the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Metropolitano. Liverpool won 2-0 to win their sixth European Cup. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Origi is one of only five members of the current first-team squad who Klopp inherited on his first day in charge in 2015, along with Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Roberto Firmino and Joe Gomez.

He was on loan at Wolfsburg when Liverpool reached their first Champions League final under Klopp in 2018, but played a pivotal role on the road to Madrid a year later.

It was Origi who netted the winner against Barcelona in the incredible semi-final comeback, before scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the final.

Amazingly, only four of his 41 goals for Liverpool came in the Champions League – but despite that, he is a bona fide legend of the club for his role in securing No. 6.

There is no sign of Loris Karius, who will also leave on a free transfer this summer, out in Paris.