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Attendance: 55,212
Liverpool logo
Champions League | Semi-Finals
May 7, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
Barcelona logo

4-0

Origi (7', 79'), Wijnaldum (54', 56')
FT(HT: 1-0)

How Liverpool could line up against Barcelona

Sports Mole looks at how a depleted Liverpool side could line up for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Barcelona at Anfield.

Liverpool will need to muster one of their greatest ever European nights at Anfield if they are to reach the final of the Champions League when they host Barcelona on Tuesday night.

The Reds have a 3-0 deficit to make up from the first leg of their semi-final at Camp Nou after Lionel Messi's late heroics took the tie away from last season's beaten finalists.

Liverpool returned to winning ways against Newcastle United at the weekend to ensure that their domestic pursuit of silverware will go down to the wire, but it will take one of football's great comebacks to do the same on the European stage.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Jurgen Klopp could line his side up for the showdown.



Possible LIV XI vs. BAR

Out: Mohamed Salah (concussion), Roberto Firmino (groin), Naby Keita (adductor)
Doubtful: Adam Lallana (muscle)

> Click here for Liverpool's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

As if Liverpool's task was not difficult enough already, they will have to attempt the comeback without two of their front three after both Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were ruled out of the game by Klopp.

Salah's head injury is thankfully not as serious as first feared when he was stretchered off against Newcastle on Saturday night, but he is nonetheless suffering from concussion and is therefore not available for Tuesday's game.

Firmino, meanwhile, made a substitute appearance in the first leg amid concerns over a groin injury, and that exacerbated the problem with the Brazilian having since been ruled out of both the Newcastle game and this one.

Daniel Sturridge was preferred from the start at the weekend, but Divock Origi's all-important impact off the bench could be enough to earn him a start while Xherdan Shaqiri - who delivered the free kick for the winner - will be hopeful of making his first start since January and only his second of the season in the Champions League.

Liverpool are also without Naby Keita for the remainder of the campaign, and Klopp must decide whether to shuffle his formation to a 4-2-3-1 considering his injury absentees.

Either way there will be a battle for places in the middle of the park. Fabinho has seemingly nailed down the defensive midfield spot, but around him the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, James Milner and the fit-again Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all competing for a starting berth.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to start having responded to being left out of the first leg by registering two more assists at the weekend, drawing him level with Andrew Robertson in the friendly full-back competition.

Joel Matip could also come back into the side in place of Dejan Lovren, with his ability to bring the ball out from defence likely to give him the edge over both Lovren and Joe Gomez.

> Click here to see how Barcelona could line up for this fixture

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Roberto Firmino celebrates getting an equaliser during the Premier League game between Manchester City and Liverpool on January 3, 2019
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Group A

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QCopenhagen62228
3Galatasaray61235
4Man Utd61144

Group B

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QArsenal641113
QPSV62319
3Lens62228
4Sevilla60242

Group C

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QReal Madrid660018
QNapoli631210
3Braga61144
4Union Berlin60242

Group D

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QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
4Salzburg61144

Group E

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QAtletico642014
QLazio631210
3Feyenoord62046
4Celtic61144

Group F

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QDortmund632111
QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

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QMan City660018
QRB Leipzig640212
3Young Boys61144
4Red Star60151

Group H

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QBarcelona640212
QPorto640212
3Shakhtar63039
4Antwerp61053


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