Liverpool vs Barcelona
Uefa Champions League 2018-19 | Semi-final, second leg
Venue: Anfield, Liverpool
Date: Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Kick-off: 8pm BST
Depleted Liverpool face a truly formidable uphill task to qualify for their second successive Champions League final as they prepare to host Barcelona in a last-four, second-leg tie.
Last year's runners-up were certainly more than competitive at Camp Nou last Wednesday evening in what Jurgen Klopp described as their best European away performance for two years, but lost 3-0 thanks to an early Luis Suarez effort and sumptuous Lionel Messi brace that included an extraordinary free-kick to bring up the Argentine's 600th goal for the Blaugrana.
Liverpool's confidence for such a difficult job was boosted on Saturday, when they ensured that the Premier League title race will go down to the final day after Divock Origi's late header secured a thrilling 3-2 win over Newcastle on Tyneside.
Treble-chasing Barcelona, by contrast, fell to a shock 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo. However, Ernesto Valverde was able to rest most of his key stars at Balaidos with his team having already wrapped up their 26th LaLiga title and eighth in 11 years with three matches to spare.
Liverpool vs Barcelona team news and predicted line-ups
Liverpool's joy at their dramatic win over Newcastle was tempered somewhat by a head injury sustained by top scorer Mohamed Salah, who left the pitch on a stretcher midway through the second half after colliding with home goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
It has now been revealed that the Egyptian international did suffer a concussion during that accidental clash and therefore cannot be considered to face Barcelona.
Roberto Firmino will also miss the second leg with a persistent groin injury that limited him to a second-half cameo in Catalonia and ruled him out of the Newcastle trip, while Naby Keita will miss around two months and the Africa Cup of Nations as the result of a high-grade adductor injury suffered last week.
Adam Lallana has not played since late March due to an unspecified muscle issue, while key defender Virgil van Dijk and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were both absent from training on Monday.
Standard Sport understands both players will take part in bespoke sessions on Tuesday, though their absence from the main group throws up doubt about their availability.
Barcelona should welcome back the likes of Messi, Suarez, Gerard Pique, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba after their defeat to Celta, but Ousmane Dembele will sit out the tie due to a thigh injury sustained in the first minute in Galicia.
That should mean that Philippe Coutinho - alongside Suarez - is in line to start once again against his former club.
Other than long-term absentee Rafinha, young defender Jean-Clair Todibo is the only other Barca player struggling for fitness as things stand.
Predicted line-ups
Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Mane, Origi
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Busquets, Rakitic, Vidal; Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
Score prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Barcelona
Liverpool's lack of an away goal at Camp Nou coupled with the respective absences of Salah and Firmino means they are left needing a near-miracle to overturn such a significant deficit on Merseyside.
AS Roma were handily beaten by the Catalans in last year's quarter-final first leg, but finding the net in that away drubbing meant they were able to complete a sensational turnaround on home soil.
That second leg was the only game proflific Barcelona have lost in their last 22 in the Champions League and it is very difficult to see them being kept off the score-sheet at Anfield.
Liverpool will give it their all on Tuesday, but the task just appears too great - especially without two of their leading marksmen.
