INJURED THIAGO A DOUBT FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

THIAGO ALCANTARA will be given every chance to prove his fitness for the Champions League final after he suffered suspected hamstring damage. The Spain international has been a huge player for Liverpool in recent months and he was the reason they were able to get back into the game against Wolves, his glorious backheel flick creating the opportunity for Sadio Mane to equalise. Bruno Lage’s well-drilled side had difficulty following Thiago into the pockets of space that he tried to inflict damage from but there was a collective intake of breath before half-time when he gestured to the bench and walked off the pitch. Thiago was replaced by James Milner at the break and emerged from the dressing room 20 minutes into the second period; he was wearing tracksuit pants and it was clear to see he

had a major strapping on his right thigh. Jürgen Klopp was reluctant to go specifically into detail about the nature of the injury — Thiago pictured) will undergo scans today — but Liverpool’s manager was careful not to rule him out of the clash with Real Madrid Completely. It’s not good but I cannot say more,’ stressed Klopp. ‘He was outside with the families and had his little girl on his shoulders, so he could walk so that’s obviously a good sign. All the rest we will see from tomorrow.’ Asked about the nature of the injury, Klopp replied: ‘The lower part of the body! I know it but I don’t want to talk now about it, actually. We will see. Give us a chance. It makes the news not better or worse. ‘We want to wait until we know more about it and then you will get the information as well.’ Injuries have become a theme of the final throes of this season. Virgil van Dijk sat out the game with Wolves as a consequence of a knee issue sustained in the FA Cup final, while Fabinho has not played since hobbling off against Aston Villa 13 days ago. Both are expected to start against Madrid but definitely out of the squad for the trip to Paris is Divock Origi, who was given an emotional send-off with a guard of honour. The Belgian, who has scored so many big goals for Klopp, is leaving next month. ‘Div is definitely out for the final because he had an injury in the last second of the session yesterday, he had a muscle injury,’ said Klopp, who described Origi as a ‘legend’. ‘Five days will not be enough for him. Apart from that, hopefully Thiago will have a chance.’