Klopp confirms huge injury boost to Liverpool for UCL final

Injury News: Jurgen Klopp confirms Fabinho will be back for Liverpool against Real Madrid in the UCL final

Speaking in the pre-match press conference (h/t Liverpool Echo) before the FA Cup final against Chelsea tomorrow, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed Fabinho Tavares will return from his injury by the end of this month.

The Brazilian star suffered a hamstring injury in the 2-1 away win against Aston Villa and was replaced by Jordan Henderson in the 30th minute. He is set to miss the Wembley showdown against the Blues but will be back for the UEFA Champions League final.

That is according to Klopp, who would be buzzing to know that his main man in defensive midfield would be available for selection come the big day in Paris.

“He will definitely be back for the Champions League final.”

The Reds take on the Blues tomorrow in what is their second domestic cup final against Thomas Tuchel’s side this term. They won the EFL Cup on penalty shoot-outs but have failed to beat Chelsea this season in regulation time.

Will Fabinho play vs Real Madrid?

Henderson is most likely to deputise in the number six role on Saturday with Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara expected to play in central midfield. There is no certainty if the trio will start together but going by Klopp’s selection patterns over the course of this season, it seems like the most obvious option.

The Reds can certainly use Fabinho against Los Blancos because the South American star specialises in shielding the defence and breaking up attacks. We need steel in the centre of the park to cancel out the impact Casemiro can have in physical duels.

Fabinho, who was on the books of Real Madrid during the early stages of his career, went on to make a name for himself at AS Monaco. Ever since his move to LFC, he has become a vital part of our midfield setup.

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Luckily, the Reds have had good fortune when it comes to injuries and fitness issues this season. Our main players have kept fit for large parts of the campaign which is a major reason behind us still being in the hunt for a quadruple.