Liverpool Ready for Audi Cup Despite Injuries

It wouldn’t be a gathering of Liverpool players without an accompanying injury report. Klopp and most of the team are in Germany for the next segment of pre-season festivities, but James Milner, Nathaniel Clyne, Loris Karius, and Danny Ward will all be focused on recovering before the season starts.

The vice-captain suffered a quad issue during Liverpool’s last excursion, it seems, and has remained at Anfield while he rehabilitates.

“It was clear from the first day there’s a little bit of tendon involved, so that means that it’s around 10 days,” Klopp told the official club website about Milner’s injury. “That means he will do his rehab here in Germany and then should be fit again when we’re at home. With injuries, you can’t be sure but it shouldn’t be much longer.”

Clyne is out with a back problem that he sustained in late-May. He was ruled out of England’s June fixtures against Scotland and France and has been continuing to receive treatment for the injury through the summer.

“This is maybe the longest Clyney has been out with a little bit of [an issue with] the back,” Klopp added. “We have to wait, time is running and we need Clyney of course.”

Meanwhile, both goalkeepers have been sidelined, with hip issues for Karius and back complaints for Ward. Klopp is less concerned about their injuries, however.

“Loris and Danny, I am not 100 per cent sure [when they will be back],” he said. “Wardy is not too serious but it always takes its time, we will see how long it takes.”

“Loris should be in tomorrow or the day after tomorrow at the latest, then we will have him back but it’s not too cool for the boys.”

The team will travel to Berlin on Saturday for their game against Hertha BSC before they meet Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup.

Klopp and the team’s approach is obviously one of great caution during preseason. However, if the loss of players like Milner and Clyne for however brief a period are anything to go by, there’s still a pressing need for a deeper squad.