Trent Alexander-Arnold’s Injury Update Ahead of Champions League Clash

Liverpool Faces Potential Absences

In Liverpool, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has yet to rejoin team training following a hamstring injury and could be sidelined for the upcoming Champions League match against Real Madrid, as stated by manager Arne Slot on Friday.

The England player will not participate in Sunday’s Premier League encounter against the bottom-placed Southampton. His injury occurred when he was taken off in the 25th minute during Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on November 9.

Currently, Liverpool leads both the Premier League and Champions League standings, but they are likely to be without goalkeeper Alisson Becker and forward Diogo Jota for the Madrid matchup scheduled for Wednesday at Anfield.

During a press conference, manager Slot addressed inquiries regarding the availability of Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, and Jota for both the midweek clash and a subsequent key game against Manchester City on Sunday.

“The final days of recovery tend to be the most challenging,” Slot explained. “Transitioning from individual training sessions back to group activities can be difficult. I can’t precisely predict the timeline, whether it’s one, two, three days, or longer. Based on current assessments, I don’t expect Alisson or Jota to be ready for that game, while Trent’s situation remains uncertain.”

Slot did mention that Alexander-Arnold is anticipated to return to full team training “soon.”

Alisson is dealing with a hamstring issue, while details surrounding Jota’s condition have not been disclosed. The Portugal forward last played on October 20, when he sustained an injury following a collision during a match against Chelsea, where he was substituted in the 30th minute after Liverpool secured a 2-1 victory.

In more encouraging news, Slot confirmed that captain Virgil van Dijk is “completely fine.” The center back returned from international duty with the Netherlands after playing a pivotal role in their 4-0 win over Hungary, which secured a spot in the Nations League quarterfinals. The Dutch team then went on to face Bosnia and Herzegovina shortly afterward.