MatchGirona v Liverpool: Champions League team news
Alisson Becker is in line to make his return from injury on Tuesday evening in Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Girona.
Having been sidelined since sustaining a muscle issue at Crystal Palace two months ago, the Reds goalkeeper has been included in Arne Slot’s squad for the game at Estadi Montilivi.
Confirming Alisson is available, the head coach told his pre-match press conference: “I think it speaks for itself if you can play with Alisson, [who] has been so outstanding for this club for so many years and for the Brazil national team. [It] is definitely nice to have him back and to have him available.
“But if you then look at how his replacement did, it’s not going to be easy to do it even better. So, we expect definitely the same and maybe on margins a bit better.
“But Caoimhin [Kelleher] also did so well that we can say that we have two very good goalkeepers, like our left wingers, that can do the job for us.
“But for so many years, Alisson has been so outstanding for this club that we are expecting and hoping him to do the same in the upcoming weeks and months.”
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Watch on YouTubeSlot named a 19-man group for Monday’s flight out to Spain, with James McConnell and James Norris stepping up from the U21s.
Federico Chiesa, Diogo Jota and Tyler Morton are not with the team for the 5.45pm GMT kick-off, while Alexis Mac Allister did not travel as he serves a one-match Champions League suspension.
Conor Bradley, Ibrahima Konate and Kostas Tsimikas remain unavailable due to injury.
Girona, meanwhile, are set to be without Bojan Miovski after a sprain in training ahead of the contest.
Jhon Solis, however, has been passed fit following a recent absence, though Yangel Herrera (calf) and Viktor Tsygankov (adductor) have both been ruled out.
On facing Liverpool, head coach Michel said: “Liverpool are absolutely dominant, leading the Premier League and the Champions League. It’s a historic match – a game to enjoy, but also to compete in. In football, anything can happen.
“I want us to be aggressive with and without the ball, to have the mindset to recover as quickly as possible. We want to get the crowd excited from minute one.
“They are a very, very hard team to stop. But with our excitement and motivation for this game, we cannot let the opportunity pass.”
Last match
Girona 0-3 Real Madrid (December 7): Gazzaniga, Martinez, Lopez, Krejci, Gutierrez, Martin, Romeu, Asprilla, Van de Beek, Gil, Miovski.
Newcastle 3-3 Liverpool (December 4): Kelleher, Quansah, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Jones, Salah, Gakpo, Nunez.
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