Liverpool will have to hope they can mount a comeback to remember in Europe without the services of their skipper, Jordan Henderson, who has been ruled out with an ‘illness’.
This update comes courtesy of a tweet from the reliable David Lynch and is certainly unfortunate timing for a club that has already experienced little in the way of luck when it comes to absences.
Illness keeping Jordan Henderson out of Liverpool's trip to Real Madrid, I'm told, but Stefan Bajcetic has flown out with the squad.https://t.co/AnT32tK10A
— David Lynch (@dmlynch) March 14, 2023
That being said, the sight of Stefan Bajcetic attending the flight to Madrid (Empire of the Kop) will have been a welcome one after the Spaniard was missing from the club’s open training session today.
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With the former Sunderland midfielder ruled out of proceedings at the Bernabeu, it seems likely that one of Naby Keita or James Milner will be selected in his place.
After coming close to being involved right from the off against Los Blancos in the Paris Champions League final, this could represent a great opportunity for our No.8 to leave us with a parting gift ahead of what seems to be an inevitable departure this summer.
It’s worth remembering that absences didn’t hold us back when it came to mounting a historic comeback against Barcelona back in 2018/19, though Carlo Ancelotti’s men appear far less flappable by comparison and have the experience in Europe to match.
Never rule Liverpool out, of course, but this will be far from a walk in the park in the Spanish capital.