Liverpool will be without Jordan Henderson and Stefan Bajcetic for their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp’s side face a huge task in turning around their last 16 tie having suffered a 5-2 defeat to Los Blancos in their first leg tie at Anfield last month.
Bajcetic has enjoyed a breakout campaign on Merseyside this season, starting 11 matches for his side but did not take part in Liverpool’s final training session on Tuesday before leaving for Madrid.
The 18-year-old was pictured boarding the flight to the Spanish capital but when asked whether the Spanish youngster will be available for Wednesday night’s clash at the Berbabeu, Klopp explained the player has picked up an injury he described as ‘absolutely bad’.
‘No,’ Klopp said when asked if Bajcetic will be available to play. ‘With Stefan, it is a stress response, which is absolutely bad.
‘So, 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.’
Klopp added: ‘[It’s] high up, around the adductor.’
Liverpool are also set to be without captain Henderson for the second leg tie. The England international was only deemed fit enough for the bench on Saturday against Bournemouth due to illness and has not made the trip to Spain having failed to recover in time.
Henderson and Bajcetic join Thiago Alcantara on the sidelines with Arthur Melo, who was back among the substitutes against Bournemouth, not selected for the Champions League squad.
‘We respect the competition and the opponent too much not to look forward to this tomorrow. I am looking forward to this game,’ Klopp said in assessing his side’s chances of staging another famous comeback.
‘If we can surprise ourselves in a negative way, we should be able to surprise ourselves in a positive way. It’s clear we’re not here telling Madrid: ‘Be careful, we’re coming’. But we’re here to win the game.
‘We have nothing to lose, it’s a better situation than when you can lose everything.
‘We can lose a game, we’ve felt that before, we don’t like that. You can get a proper knock here. I would prefer Carlo [Ancelotti’s] situation; to defend a 3-0 lead.’
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