Liverpool have seemingly been offered a potential boost prior to next week’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid, judging by news emerging from Spain.
Spanish journalist Melchor Ruiz tweeted (via @MelchorRuizCope) that Karim Benzema did not partake in full training on Wednesday, missing the group session at Valdebabas.
Mariano Diaz and Antonio Rudiger were also absent from the main group, while stricken defensive duo David Alaba and Ferland Mendy are working individually as they continue their respective quests to regain full fitness.
Termina el 2° entrenamiento de la semana del @realmadrid
❌️@David_Alaba y @ferland_mendy siguen mejorando, pero todavía hacen trabajo individual al margen del grupo @Benzema @marianodiaz7 y @ToniRuediger hoy trabajo en el interior
— Melchor Ruiz (@MelchorRuizCope) March 8, 2023
The news about the French striker’s absence from full Madrid training could offer a small sliver of hope to Liverpool as they attempt to somehow overturn the 5-2 deficit from the first leg at Anfield when they travel to Spain next week.
Even if the veteran marksman isn’t fit enough for the fixture in seven days’ time, he’s already made a telling impact on the tie, netting the final two goals in the rout on Merseyside a fortnight ago.
It says a lot about Benzema’s scoring prowess that, despite his season being plagued by a succession of minor injuries, he’s still plundered 18 goals in 27 appearances for Los Blancos, taking his overall tally for the club to a whopping 341 (Transfermarkt).
Liverpool’s task in trying to claw back the three-goal margin at the Bernabeu against the reigning Champions League winners will be an arduous one, to put mildly, although the potential absence of the Ballon d’Or holder might offer the Reds a small but welcome boost to their hopes of a miracle.
That being said, it’s worth pointing out what a loss to a game of such a calibre the Frenchman’s potential absence would be, so we’ll be wishing the forward a swift return to fitness.
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