Roberto Firmino absent from training ahead of Liverpool's Champions League last-16 second leg against RB Leizpig with sore knee; match to take place in Budapest on Wednesday evening; Liverpool 2-0 ahead after first leg
Tuesday 9 March 2021 14:52, UK
Roberto Firmino is a doubt for Liverpool's Champions League last-16 second leg against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.
The forward was absent from training ahead of the game, which will take place in Budapest, due to a sore knee.
Liverpool lead the tie 2-0 after second-half goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane secured victory when the sides first met on February 16.
The second-leg will again take place in the Hungarian capital, UEFA confirmed last week, because of ongoing Covid-19 restrictions between Germany and England.
Liverpool are in pole position to secure a spot in the quarter-final draw, despite a stuttering domestic run of form that has seen them lost three of their four league games since the original tie.
With the club drifting further away from the top four, Klopp said he was confident of turning things around in Europe.
"Two things (give me faith in the Champions League), the quality of the boys and football in general. You always have a chance in the next game and that's already enough," he said.
"It's half-time and we have to play the game that gives us the opportunity to go into the next round... I have no doubts about tomorrow about giving Leipzig a proper fight."
Liverpool broke a run of three straight defeats with their designated away victory at Budapest, where Wednesday's tie again takes place.
Jurgen Klopp's side hit their opponents with a quickfire double after half-time with Salah (53) and Mane (58) punishing some inexplicable defending from the Bundesliga side.
The good news for Liverpool is that they have never been eliminated from a European Cup/Champions League knockout tie after winning away from home in the first leg. In addition, the last time they won both legs in the Round of 16 was back in 2008/09 against Real Madrid.
