OPINION
Liverpool could have been given a boost ahead of their Champions League semi-final second leg meeting with Barcelona, after the Spanish side suffered an injury blow to forward Ousmane Dembele during a surprise 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo on Saturday.
The France international started, as Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde made ten changes to his side that beat Liverpool 3-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals last week, but Dembele only lasted ten minutes after being taken off with a hamstring injury.
After the match Valverde described the loss of Dembele as a “major blow” to his sides end-of-season run in, according to a report from The Independent. Barcelona are looking to win the Champions League for the first time since 2015, having already secured the league title this season, but will now have to do so without the influence of Dembele.
The injury to Dembele will be a loss for Barcelona going into their second leg with Liverpool, with the France international’s pace on the counter a real potential asset that Valverde could have used, with Liverpool having to chase the game.
Although Dembele did not start the first leg win in Barcelona, coming off the bench late on in the game with the hosts already 3-0 ahead, and may not have started the second leg at Anfield, he still could have been a key player for Valverde to call on from the bench in the second leg.
Despite the potential boost of Dembele’s injury, though, Liverpool will be focusing purely on the very difficult task ahead of them, with the daunting challenge of having to overturn a three-goal deficit against one of Europe’s best sides.
However, the Reds showed in the defeat at Barcelona that they were able to create opportunities and put the Spanish side under pressure for spells in the game.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will need more luck than they had in the first leg, and will have to produce a perfect performance in the second leg, if they are to produce a bit of history and reach successive Champions League finals.
