Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Stefan Bajcetic is out of the Real Madrid match with a longer-term injury.
Speaking on Tuesday night at his pre-match press conference at the Bernabeu, Klopp confirmed that Bajcetic would miss the Champions League tie, but added also that the youngster’s injury is more long-term.
According to Klopp, the midfielder has suffered a “stress response” around the adductor area.
“With Stefan, it is a stress response,” explained the manager. “Which is absolutely bad.
“He doesn’t feel a lot, it’s only a little bit but he is now out for I don’t know exactly how long. We have just to let it settle then and we will see when he can come back.
“[It’s] high up, around the adductor.”
Bajcetic now joins Thiago and Jordan Henderson on the sidelines, with Klopp also confirming that the captain would miss the Madrid match through illness.
It likely means either James Milner or Naby Keita will join Fabinho and Harvey Elliott in midfield.
Klopp’s other options include playing a two-man midfield and then playing four forwards, or bringing in Curtis Jones.
A midfield pairing of Fabinho and Milner, with Cody Gakpo, Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and either Diogo Jota or Roberto Firmino would be an option.
Speaking on the difficulty of needing to overturn a three-goal deficit, Klopp said:
“If there is just one percent chance, I would like to give it a try.
“We are here to play a difficult opponent and try to win the game tomorrow. Then we will see where it leads us to.
“In this room, I think that 100% of the room thinks we have no chance. But if I’m the only one who thinks we have a little (chance), I’m fine.”
Following the Champions League second leg, there’s over two and a half weeks until Liverpool’s next match, which could give Bajcetic time to recover for the away trip to Man City on April 1.
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