Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said he is planning for the first leg of Liverpool’s Champions League against Bayern Munich next week without Dejan Lovren.
Lovren, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since Jan. 7, did not travel to Spain for Liverpool’s warm-weather training camp this week.
The Croatia international’s likely absence gives Klopp a selection headache at centre-half, with Virgil van Dijk suspended for Bayern’s visit to Anfield on Tuesday.
“I don’t want to rule it out but I cannot really plan with it,” Klopp told Liverpool’s website when asked whether Lovren could play.
“He is not here [in Spain] for good reasons, because he cannot be part of training. We are back on Friday. Then from Saturday on, Dejan is back at Melwood and we will see.
“We are back on Friday. Then from Saturday on, Dejan is back at Melwood and we will see.
“But, of course, we have to prepare it differently. If Dejan gives a sign on Monday — ‘I feel brilliant’ — then we’d have to think anew.
“But at the moment we prepare the game and, in this preparation, Dejan is not involved. We have to find other solutions.”
With Joe Gomez recently having undergone further surgery to aid his recovery from a lower leg fracture, Fabinho may deputise at centre-back again.
The Brazil international, normally a defensive midfielder, played in that position against Wolves and Brighton last month.