Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool have a much better chance of winning this season’s Champions League final, because of the squad depth available at his disposal.
Against Real Madrid in Kyiv, when Mo Salah got injured, he had no choice but to turn to a half-fit Adam Lallana who had to play out position having barely featured all season.
This season, only Naby Keita will be missing from the matchday squad through injury, with the Reds also able to name 12 substitutes in the final after a UEFA rule change was implemented this year.
Everyone else, including Roberto Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the latter of whom missed last year’s final having got injured against Roma in the semi-final, will be fully ready.
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Klopp said in his press conference to preview the Spurs game (via Neil Jones): “The problem last year is not only that we lost Mo, but Adam was only available at the last second. We had other injuries – Ox for example. That made our bench a bit thin in this area.
“[This year] we will have all available players on the bench – that gives us solutions. You have to remind yourselves from time to time just how strong my team is.”
Klopp is absolutely right – the depth that we have this season is way above what was there last year, and that can only be a good thing.
Hopefully, Salah won’t get injured again – or anyone else for that matter – but if we need to change the game using the bench, the options should be there.