Liverpool boss confirms injury boost ahead of Bayern but defender set to miss out

Jurgen Klopp is preparing for Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich without Dejan Lovren but Georginio Wijnaldum is set to be passed fit.

Lovren hasn’t played for Liverpool since picking up a hamstring strain during the first half of their FA Cup third round defeat to Wolves over a month ago and he failed to travel with the rest of the squad for their warm-weather training camp in Spain this week.

Klopp confirmed earlier this week that the Croatian international was facing a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Tuesday night’s last-16 first leg with Bayern at Anfield.

Now, the Liverpool boss has provided another update today and revealed that he’s planning to be without Lovren for the game next week. With Virgil van Dijk suspended and Joe Gomez still on the sidelines, Klopp admits he’s working on ‘other solutions’ in the middle of defence.

Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“I don’t want to rule it out but I cannot really plan with it. He is not here for good reasons, because he cannot be part of training. We are back on Friday. Then from Saturday on, Dejan is back at Melwood and we will see.

“But, of course, we have to prepare it differently. If Dejan gives a sign on Monday – ‘I feel brilliant’ – then we’d have to think anew.

“But in the moment we prepare the game and in this preparation Dejan is not involved. We have to find other solutions.”

If, as expected, Lovren is ruled out then it looks like Fabinho will drop back in to the Liverpool defence alongside Joel Matip as he impressed in the back four earlier this month.

However, there was better news on Wijnaldum as Klopp also confirmed that the midfielder is set to return to training as he looks to make his comeback after missing Liverpool’s win over Bournemouth last weekend due to illness.

The Dutch international has been working away from the main squad during their time in Marbella this week but Wijnaldum trained today so should be back in contention to face Bayern on Tuesday night.

Speaking earlier this afternoon, Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com:

“Gini didn’t train yet, that’s of course not cool after a very intense game for him,”

“So he had a little dip, but will start today so that’s good.”

It will be a big boost for Liverpool to have Wijnaldum available again, particularly with Fabinho set to fill-in alongside Matip in defence, as the Reds look to secure a positive first leg result against Bayern at Anfield next week.