Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Thiago Alcantara won’t be able to play for the Reds until after the international break due to a training setback.
The Spanish midfielder has been absent from Liverpool’s lineup this season due to fitness problems. Furthermore, he will continue to be unavailable when his side faces Aston Villa at Anfield on Sunday.
Klopp provided an update on Thiago’s status to the media ahead of the match against Unai Emery’s team.
The manager confirmed that the veteran star experienced a minor setback during training but is optimistic about having him back after the upcoming break.
As quoted by the Liverpool Echo, he said:
“Thiago has had a little setback after starting training with the team. He has to slow down a little bit. It’s not cool for him or for us. Hopefully after the international break (he’ll be back).”
Thiago has faced persistent injury challenges throughout his career, including during his time with Bayern Munich. Unfortunately, these issues have continued during his tenure with Liverpool.
The midfielder has been a recurring absentee, season after season, for the Reds due to various fitness problems.
During the previous season, Thiago was struggling by a calf injury, limiting his appearances to just 14 starts in the Premier League for Klopp’s team.
In the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Liverpool have relied on midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.
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The Reds have also brought in Wataru Endo from Stuttgart and secured the signing of Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern on transfer deadline day.
Klopp has Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones at his disposal in midfield. Nevertheless, with the departures of experienced players like James Milner, Jordan Henderson, and Fabinho, Thiago is now the sole veteran player in Liverpool’s midfield.
His presence also contributes composure and control to the team’s midfield. Therefore, the midfielder’s absence is a significant setback for Klopp.
It remains uncertain if he will regain a starting position in Liverpool’s lineup once he is back in action.
