Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will have had plenty of time to consider how best to set out his side against Real Madrid on Saturday evening. And that’s just as well, with three team selection headaches under consideration that could prove the difference between winning and losing as two Champions League heavyweights prepare to go head-to-head.
The Reds made mincemeat of a tough European group including Atletico Madrid and AC Milan, although they have had a relatively favourable passage since then. Ties against Inter Milan, Benfica and Villarreal have led them to the final where they will bid for a seventh Champions League triumph.
That would bring them joint-second on the all-time list, behind only Saturday’s opponent Real Madrid. Los Blancos are at their best on the European stage, and they emerged victorious in three breathless knockout ties against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City.
As kick-off creeps closer, Express Sport looks at three huge team selection calls that may be giving Klopp sleepless nights.
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Completing the midfield trio
Two members of Klopp’s midfield seem nailed-on at this stage, particularly in light of Fabinho’s return to training after a hamstring injury kept him out for the final three games of the Premier League season. The Brazilian is likely to be joined by team captain Jordan Henderson, who can remain fully focused after missing out on the latest England squad.
It is not all good news for the Reds, however, as Thiago Alcantara is absent from training with an Achilles issue. James Milner and Naby Keita are the two prime candidates to step in, meaning the Liverpool boss faces a clear choice between athleticism and unpredictability on one hand, and grit and experience on the other.
Milner, now 36-years-old, has been superb when called upon this campaign and would not be phased by the bright lights on Saturday night.
Three fighting for one spot up top
Perhaps Klopp’s most difficult decision of all is who will join Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in attack. The duo have been Liverpool’s big hitters for the past five years, and while the former has pledged his future to Anfield for at least another season, the latter is set to make fans wait until after the Champions League final.
A convincing case could be made for any of Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz or Roberto Firmino to start. Jota is the most natural goal-scorer of the three with more in all competitions than the other two combined, while he also brings an aerial threat.
Diaz, meanwhile, has been nothing short of sublime since joining the Reds in January, so may just have the upper hand. But every time Firmino takes to the pitch it is crystal clear that he still has the magic that has made him a fan favourite on Merseyside, and he also brings the option to sit deeper and stop Madrid’s midfielders from operating with total freedom.