UK Edition
Liverpool seek opposition for behind-closed-doors friendly in Marbella ahead of Champions League final
Liverpool are hoping to arrange a friendly at their Spanish training camp this weekend in a bid to maintain sharpness ahead of the Champions League final.
Discussions have been held with several clubs in an attempt to host a behind-closed-doors practice game at the club’s Marbella base, although with most teams in the vicinity already on their holidays that is not proving straightforward.
With so few senior sides still training as their domestic campaigns have ended, Liverpool may be restricted to a game with an academy or Under 23 line-up to provide a more intense workout for Jurgen Klopp’s stars as they look to polish their skills prior to the final.
The Premier League’s European finalists have found themselves in a quandary since the end of their domestic season as they make preparations for their UEFA showpiece meeting.
A three-week gap from the last league game to the Champions League final is far longer than usual, so both Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino have been seeking to strike the right balance between rest and training.
It is an especially peculiar calendar in 2019, which would have been helpful to the England national team in the build-up to the Nations League but for the fact so many of Gareth Southgate’s squad will be featuring in Madrid. Such are the circumstances, there now appears to have been a lack of foresight by those who designed the fixture schedule which is more hindrance than help to the clubs and the country.
The saving grace is Liverpool and Tottenham face identical issues, neither having an unfair advantage. Although the Europa League final takes place a little earlier, it is not so dissimilar for Arsenal and Chelsea ahead of their meeting in Baku.
Had an English side faced a team from Spain or Germany in either of the finals there would have been a greater concern about the opponent being more match-ready, other major European leagues finishing later than the Premier League.
For Klopp and Pochettino it is a journey into the unknown fine-tuning their stars in the midst of such a prolonged break.
Klopp has described Liverpool’s work as a ‘mini pre-season’.
Liverpool were given a week off immediately after their final day victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Klopp’s players reassembling for warm weather training last Monday.
They will return to Melwood to finalise their plans at the start of next week.
On the plus side, Liverpool are likely to head into the final with a full-strength line-up as Roberto Firmino, as expected, is recovering from a groin issue. Only midfielder Naby Keita is set to miss out and even his condition has significantly improved to the extent he is now likely to feature in the African Cup of Nations.
Meanwhile, Liverpool youngster Sheyi Ojo is set to sign a new deal ahead of another potential loan deal.
The 21-year-old spent last season at Stade de Reims in France. Rangers are among those interested in taking the player next year, Steven Gerrard an admirer of the midfielder.