Medical expert reveals ‘my understanding’ of Thiago Alcantara starting Liverpool v Real Madrid
Liverpool superstar Thiago Alcantara could yet recover in time to face Real Madrid in Paris on Saturday (28 May) – but it will be touch and go.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Thiago, 31, has featured in all of Liverpool’s knockout games in the Champions League this term and has been instrumental in their run to the final.
But the Spanish midfielder limped off with an Achilles injury against Wolves on a dramatic final day of the Premier League season at Anfield last Sunday (22 May).
Jurgen Klopp initially feared that Thiago would not return for Liverpool’s push to win a seventh top European title.
But he revealed on Wednesday (25 May) that the player is making “surprisingly good progress”, as quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
And Dinnery suggested that he is not yet out of the running for Paris.
“I certainly wouldn’t rule him out at this point, but it is going to be really close,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“What we need to see is a quick response to that treatment. We would need to see him in and around the group from Thursday.
“When you saw his face when he came off on Sunday, that told us he was very disappointed. He knew it was possible he could miss out. However, my understanding is that it isn’t too serious.
“He is a player who has been hampered with injuries at various times in his career, so it would be a shame to lose him for this final game.”
Thiago has scored twice and laid on five assists in 38 appearances in 2021-22.
He has missed 23 games to injury or illness throughout the campaign.
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