Lucas Vazquez is now an injury doubt ahead of Real Madrid’s trip to Liverpool next week. The Spaniard went off against Barcelona.
Lucas Vazquez has an ankle injury, making him a doubt to face Liverpool on Wednesday. A challenge from Sergio Busquets sent him off in El Clasico before half-time.
It’s a troubling one for Real. Vazquez has been playing at right-back this season because Dani Carvajal is also out injured.
Any substantial time out leaves them very short at a time when their defence is really short as it is. Sergio Ramos is out injured, while Raphael Varane is self-isolating.
And that spells trouble with a trip to Anfield coming up fast.
What RTK has to say
Well, we said the injuries to Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos could be key for the first-leg. Both played in Madrid.
We said Varane missing that game would have a big effect – it did not.
Surely, though, this one could change things? Real would be down to their third-choice right-back in Alvaro Odriozola – a player with just six games this season.
We’ve got to imagine that its Real at least a little hard. Especially if either/both Varane or Ramos are out.
But the truth is, Liverpool’s task looks difficult no matter who plays in white at Anfield. The Reds will need to overcome a two-goal deficit against an in-form team at a time when they’re not at their best.
Do we think they can do it? Absolutely. But who Real have out doesn’t change the difficulty all that much.
Still, being down to their third-choice right-back should hand an opportunity to Sadio Mane, who will likely start. Mane hasn’t been in good form, though.
And perhaps that affects Jurgen Klopp’s thinking. Is this a way for Mane to have things a little easier and find some form? Or does it call for Diogo Jota from the left, who will surely take advantage of the weakness?
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