Chronicle Editor
Liverpool attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho was not included in the 22-man travelling squad for the first leg of their Champions League play-off against Hoffenheim, the Premier League club said yesterday.
According to reports in British media, Barcelona target Coutinho submitted a transfer request last week after Liverpool rejected a second bid worth 100 million euros ($117.96 million) from the La liga club.
Coutinho also missed Liverpool’s 3-3 draw at Watford on Saturday due to a back injury, with manager Jurgen Klopp conceding he had no control over the 25-year-old’s future at the club.
Under current Uefa rules, Coutinho’s participation in the play-off round against Hoffenheim would not jeopardise a move in the current transfer window.
The Brazil international will remain eligible to feature for another club in next month’s Champions League group-stage.
The Merseyside club will also be without striker Daniel Sturridge, who has failed to recover from a thigh injury sustained during the pre-season.
Hoffenheim host Liverpool at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena today before the two sides meet again at Anfield next week.
Fixtures
Today: Qaraba v København Tofiq (Behramov adına Respublika stadionu 18:00), Young Boys v CSKA Moskva (Stade De Suisse Wankdorf Bern 20:45), Sporting CP v FCSB (Estádio José Alvalade 20:45), APOEL v Slavia (Praha Neo GSP 20:45)
Hoffenheim v Liverpool (Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena 20:45), Tomorrow:Napoli v Nice (Stadio San Paolo 20:45), Hapoel Be’er Sheva v Maribor (Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium 20:45), Istanbul Basaksehir v Sevilla (Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu 20:45), Olympiakos Piraeus v Rijeka )Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki 20:45), Celtic v Astana (Celtic Park 20:45). — Reuters.
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