Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp aren’t sure if Roberto Firmino will be able to play against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
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The Brazilian forward suffered a nasty injury on Saturday during the second half of Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Tottenham shortly after he scored the Reds’ second goal of the game.
Jan Vertonghen’s finger was wedged into Firmino’s left eye as the Spurs defender tried to shrug him off the ball, with the Liverpool star substituted.
Speaking ahead of their UEFA Champions League group stage opener at Anfield, Klopp revealed that Firmino may be unavailable for the crunch game between the two Group B favorites.
“No idea, to be honest. He is much better. We all saw the picture and we were massively worried. But all these worries are away so he will be fine. If he will be fine for tomorrow, I don’t know in the moment,” Klopp said.
What are the options for Liverpool if Firmino isn’t fit enough to start? Well, there’s no doubt they will miss Firmino who has looked sharp at the start of the season and has a goal in each of his last three games for club and country. His movement and link-up play has improved drastically and his relationship with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane makes Liverpool tick.
Putting Daniel Sturridge up front and having Salah and Mane behind him isn’t bad, right?
But away from home, against a top team like PSG, perhaps Klopp will go with Xherdan Shaqiri out wide and slot either Salah or Mane into a more central position?
Liverpool have strengthened their squad considerably over the summer just for instances like this.