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Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara was absent from first-team training ahead of the 2022 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. The Reds will travel to Paris to compete in the showpiece match on May 28.
Liverpool livestreamed their training session on their social media platforms ahead of the Champions League. However, there were no signs of the Spanish midfielder in training. This was later confirmed by The Times journalist Paul Joyce on his Twitter account.
Having said that, there are some positives for the Reds ahead of their clash against Real Madrid. Brazilian midfielder Fabinho was seen training with his teammates along with defender Joe Gomez.
Liverpool have had a number of injury scares ahead of the Champions League final. Apart from Thiago and Fabinho, there were also minor injuries to Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
However, the duo were named in the matchday squad against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the final day of the Premier League season.
Salah even came on the pitch as a second-half substitute and scored a crucial goal in the game. Van Dijk, meanwhile, was not risked ahead of the final against Real Madrid.
Thiago Alcantara's injury, however, is a cause for concern for manager Jurgen Klopp. The 31-year-old has been instrumental in the Reds' successful season so far, having already yielded two trophies.
Thiago is one of the best passers of the ball in the squad. His talents were on show when he produced a back-heeled through ball assist for Sadio Mane during their 3-1 win over Wolves on Sunday, May 22.
The midfielder has the ability to control the tempo of the game. According to WhoScored, Thiago has a passing accuracy of 88.2% this season.
He also attempts 3.8 long balls per game, which is vital to breaking down a tight defensive line.
Liverpool and Real Madrid will face each other in the Champions League for a second time in five years
Liverpool and Real Madrid are set to face each other again in the Champions League final. The two sides also clashed in the 2018 final in Kiev.
Real Madrid secured a 3-1 win on that occasion with Gareth Bale scoring a brace in the second-half. Karim Benzema was also on that scoresheet on the night.
The 2018 final was Liverpool's first under the management of Jurgen Klopp. The Reds won the European Cup the very next year when they defeated fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in the final in Madrid.
