Jurgen Klopp has provided an update on his Liverpool squad ahead of the club’s Europa League quarter-final with Atalanta.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota are among the big names who have returned to first-team training after lay-offs and Klopp confirmed the influential duo are doing ‘very well’. Alisson Becker is also back in training in a huge boost to the Reds, who host Atalanta at Anfield on Thursday evening.
Liverpool face the Italian side in the first leg of their last-eight tie, as the Merseysiders look to progress to the semi-finals. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Klopp gave an update on the fitness of his squad.
“We will have to see about that,” Klopp said on whether his returning stars would feature.
“Obviously we didn’t rush it with them. Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and [Diogo] Jota have been training together a lot for a couple of weeks. They did a lot of training but they were doing very well yesterday.
“Stefan [Bajcetic] is different because he has been out for a little longer but now he is training for longer as well. I think after the long spell out, we might give him a game in the U21s and see how we go with that.
“But that won’t be the case with the other three, Alisson as well. We will see how they go but they are back in training and we have to see how we use them. Yes, we need them back but we need them in the best possible shape and we need them in rhythm.
“It’s always a challenge to reintegrate them but they are quality players so they will manage it. We will see over the next days and weeks but as for tomorrow, there’s no decision yet.”
Klopp was asked for his view on the planned protest from the Kop, that will see the traditional flags removed as a protest against increasing ticket prices. The German admits he understands the concerns of the supporters.
“The flags aren’t there but the people are there. But I understand the concerns, and the discussions.
“It’s a tricky one from my point of view to say. I didn’t know about this but the opinion is clear. We want our fans in the stadium, we want Liverpool for everybody.
“We are a self-sustaining club and I can say that for as long as I have been here every single pound has gone into the football, it is not wasted, the club is doing very good things for the community.
“But of course I understand. I am sure they will find a solution. It maybe starts with a protest, that leads to discussions and that is good. But we have to make sure that nothing gets between us and the supporters.
“Yes, discuss it, this should happen if they are not happy but between the whistles we just have to all be Liverpool and that is what I am asking for.”
