Liverpool’s Diogo Jota set to play in Champions League clash despite missing training
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Wolverhampton Wanderers' Uruguayan defender Santiago Bueno (right) fouling Liverpool's Portuguese striker Diogo Jota during the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at the Molineux stadium on Sept 28.
PHOTO: AFP
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LIVERPOOL – Liverpool manager Arne Slot expects Diogo Jota to feature in their Champions League clash with Serie A side Bologna at Anfield, despite the Portuguese forward’s absence from training on Oct 1.
Jota received a knock in the 2-1 English Premier League win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sept 28 but is set to play instead of Federico Chiesa, who arrived at training on Oct 1 with an injury.
The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus in August and grabbed an assist in the 5-1 League Cup third-round rout of West Ham United but will miss out on facing familiar opponents on Oct 2.
“It’s a shame for him because he was looking forward to a Champions League night at Anfield, and especially because we face an Italian team,” said Slot.
“How long is he out? It’s always difficult because it happened yesterday, but I am not expecting him to be out for a very long period of time. We will see if he can be in the team for Saturday (league match at Crystal Palace).”
Liverpool are off to a strong start in Slot’s first season in charge. They top the Premier League standings on 15 points, opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over AC Milan, and have booked their spot in the League Cup last 16.
“One of the reasons we can compete is we have a lot of quality. We have a lot of cohesion in the team. Those who are not playing are happy with us scoring and winning, so those are two really positive things,” Slot added.
Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had kind words for how well the Dutchman has done in filling the huge shoes left by former manager Jurgen Klopp.
“He’s definitely an amazing manager. You can see how he’s been from the first day. We understand what he wants from us, and I think that’s the main thing as a coach – to get the ideas in the players,” the Argentinian said.
Liverpool are back in the Champions League after a one-year absence, and the former Feyenoord boss hopes to see the hunger reflected in his team on Oct 2.
“What I want from the players is them to show they missed this. I want to see this, I want to feel this. I am hoping it’s the same from our fans. I hope they feel this desire to show Europe that you missed us,” Slot said.
Bologna’s absence from Europe’s top-tier club competition is more prolonged.
Last Italian champions in 1964, Bologna played in the old European Cup that same year but were knocked out of the competition in the preliminary round on a coin toss by Anderlecht.
That is why this season’s campaign in the revamped Champions League feels much more like a debut than a return, and why some 40,000 fans celebrated in the centre of Bologna once qualification was secured last term.
Bologna finished fifth, their highest league placing since 1971 (also fifth), and took advantage of Serie A getting an extra spot in the elite club competition to try their luck against the continent’s best teams.
Without last season’s star players Joshua Zirkzee and Riccardo Calafiori, who both departed for the Premier League, and now Juventus coach Thiago Motta, Bologna were undoubtedly weakened over the summer.
Motta’s replacement Vincenzo Italiano said after the 1-1 Serie A draw with fellow Champions League participants Atalanta on Sept 28: “We know there are mistakes we made today that we cannot afford to make again, as Liverpool’s strikers are so efficient and we’ll be in a remarkable atmosphere of Anfield.”
REUTERS, AFP
