Fabinho set to start as Klopp faces hard decision on Thiago

Liverpool midfield duo Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho have bolstered their side’s chances of landing a seventh European Cup after being declared ready and available to face Real Madrid.

Thiago and Fabinho completed the final training session at the Stade de France, with Klopp deliberating whether to start one or both following their recovery from respective Achilles and hamstring issues.

Fabinho is expected to take his place in the line-up having spent the past two weeks targeting the game. He has not featured since Liverpool’s win at Aston Villa on May 10.

Klopp’s biggest quandary is whether to start with Thiago or put him on the bench. Thiago broke down at half-time of last weekend’s victory over Wolves.

“Looks good for both,” Klopp said. “Fabinho trained completely normal. Thiago trained yesterday with the team, will train today and then we go from there.”

Klopp’s decision may be influenced in part by the opportunity to use five substitutes in Paris. That means if one or both of his midfielders breaks down, there will be an early opportunity to make a change while still having the chance to make changes later in the match.

Klopp, meanwhile, would not be drawn on growing suggestions Sadio Mane would push for a move to Bayern Munich after the final. Mane has a year left on his contract and has been noncommittal on his future in the build-up to the final.

“Sadio is in the shape of his life, he is in brilliant shape, a joy to watch in training and in games,” Klopp said. “The Bayern Munich rumours, I couldn’t care less. Sadio is focused on the game. It is not the first time in my career before decisive games that Bayern Munich rumours come up. This is the wrong moment to speak about that, wherever Sadio will play next season he will be a big player. Definitely.”

Even if Bayern make an approach for Mane, there is no suggestion Liverpool want to sell, even though he can leave on a free transfer next year. Liverpool may calculate it is better to retain a world-class striker for another 12 months than accept a cut-price fee, knowing how difficult it would be to replace him.

They are in the same situation with Mohamed Salah. Whatever the future holds for the make-up of his squad, Klopp believes he has the foundations to keep challenging for the top honours.

“What I am really happy about is that we are in the transformation – not a transformation like ‘bam’ [clicks fingers] – it’s more slight,” he said. “We have another young exciting player coming in with Fab [Fabio Carvalho], we have Harvey [Elliott] and Curtis [Jones]. After the last game, I had both together and said to them, ‘This is only the start’.

“To have these boys around for this transition is important. We have a wonderful squad but it’s natural that a few things will change.”