OPINION
Jurgen Klopp must break Adam Lallana’s already broken heart by not featuring him in the Champions League final unless absolutely necessary.
The 30-year-old attacking midfielder, who earns £65,000-a-week at Anfield according to Silly Season, should be the very last resort for the Reds against Real Madrid and should only be considered if all hope is lost.
While it sounds harsh, after having such an injury hit season and only managing to feature for 16 minutes against Brighton, though he did okay in his cameo, he can’t be risked playing in his side’s biggest game of the year.
The only time Lallana has managed to play 90 minutes this season was against Porto in March and his other 13 outings during this campaign were brief to say the least.
The 30-year-old has shown all the signs that he’s not ready to be firing on all cylinders anytime soon as he keeps breaking down from injuries every time he returns.
Imagine if he comes on with 30 minutes to go and either crumbles due to injury or struggles to adapt to what will be a high tempo game? It will be a waste of a substitute.
Despite his many positive attributes, due to his injury-ridden season it’s hard to see him being anything but a liability when the Reds play Real Madrid.
This goes against what Reds legend John Aldridge claimed, who stated in his Liverpool Echo column that the midfielder would be “priceless” if the Reds can get him fit.
While Aldridge acknowledges that it is a tough task to get the midfielder fit given the lack of games between now and the Champions League final, he’s wrong to even suggest that Lallana can have that sort of influence.
The 30-year-old has already suffered heartbreak this season, due to his frustrating injuries, but also because on Wednesday it was confirmed he wasn’t going to the World Cup.
Gareth Southgate is opting to leave Lallana at home this summer by not including him in his 23-man England squad for the World Cup in Russia, as reported by The Sun,news which no doubt caused the midfielder some heartbreak.
Therefore Klopp must inflict even more heartbreak on the £65,000-a-week star, even if Aldridge believes otherwise, as it’s too much of a risk to play him in the Champions League final.
