Liverpool to face Barca without Salah, Firmino
But Klopp's depleted side refuse to give up as they look to overturn 3-0 deficit
Liverpool will be without top scorer Mohamed Salah for tomorrow morning's (Singapore time) Champions League semi-final, second leg against Barcelona after manager Juergen Klopp revealed he was concussed in the 3-2 win at Newcastle.
The Egyptian was stretchered off at St James' Park on Sunday due to a head knock after a collision with Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.
He is expected to feature against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Liverpool's final English Premier League game this Sunday, but Klopp said tomorrow's game was too soon for Salah.
At his pre-match press conference, Klopp said: "It's a concussion, so that means he would not even be allowed to play. He feels OK, but it is not good enough from a medical point of view. He's desperate (to play) everything, but we cannot do it."
Klopp will also be without Brazil striker Roberto Firmino due to a groin injury, as his side face the huge challenge of trying to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit to make the Champions League final for a second consecutive season.
"Two of the world's best strikers are not available tomorrow night and we have to score four goals against Barcelona to go through," said Klopp.
"It doesn't make life easier but, as long as we have 11 players on the pitch, we will try it."
Liverpool have a rich history of stunning comebacks in European football, most famously lifting the Champions League in 2005 after trailing the final 3-0 to AC Milan at half-time.
In Klopp's first season in charge in 2016, the Reds also came from 3-1 down in the final 25 minutes of the Europa League quarter-finals to beat his old side Borussia Dortmund 4-3.
However, the German is aware of the difficulty of not just scoring at least three against the Spanish champions, but also not conceding a vital away goal to the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez that would leave Liverpool needing to score five to progress.
He said: "I imagine the place will be rocking even before we score, but we not only have to score, we have to deny Barcelona from scoring.
"It doesn't happen too often that Barca don't score at all. We know how big the challenge is."
While Liverpool edged a bruising battle with Newcastle to remain in the hunt for a first Premier League title in 29 years, Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde could afford to make 11 changes for a 2-0 defeat at Celta Vigo on Sunday having already sealed the La Liga title.
And Klopp admitted he could have one eye on Sunday's game with his team selection.
"We have to make a lot of decisions," he said.
"These are the last two home games of an incredible season and we should celebrate that with a good performance on the pitch and a very, very good performance in the stands."
Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said Liverpool would have to be fearless to have a chance of progressing.
He said: "If we get caught up in fearing their players then that's not really going to work.
"We've had decent results this season where we've scored more than three goals and being at home helps us. There's still that sense of belief, but we know it's going to be hard. But anything is possible, especially at Anfield."
- AFP, REUTERS
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