Liverpool injury updates before Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen

Liverpool certainly didn’t have it all their own way against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, but the Premier League leaders found a way.

A swift second-half turnaround ensured Arne Slot’s Reds departed a raucous Anfield having made the most of Manchester City and Arsenal’s respective defeats at Bournemouth and Newcastle.

In short, it was a bloody good weekend for Liverpool supporters and there’s been good news on the injury front in the aftermath.

Here are the latest Liverpool fitness updates as they prepare to take on Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-BRIGHTONFBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-BRIGHTON

Konate’s arm injury isn’t thought to be serious / DARREN STAPLES/GettyImages

An inadvertent stamp from Virgil van Dijk on the arm of his centre-back partner forced Ibrahima Konate off on Saturday and sparked fears over a potential fracture that would keep the France international out of action for quite some time.

Konate was withdrawn at half-time against Brighton with Joe Gomez entering the fray, but the former RB Leipzig defender confirmed on Sunday that scans revealed no break. “I’ll be ready for the next game,” Konate added in an Instagram post.

The towering centre-back is bullish over his chances of playing on Tuesday night, but Slot and the medical team might take a more cautious stance.

Moises Caicedo, Diogo JotaMoises Caicedo, Diogo Jota

Jota will return after the international break / Carl Recine/GettyImages

Diogo Jota came off second best in a tussle with Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo during Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over the Blues last month, with the useful forward suffering a rib injury that’s set to keep him sidelined until after the November break.

Slot confirmed Jota’s continued absence heading into Saturday’s game but is hopeful the Portugal international will be available for the trip to Southampton on 23 November.

Alisson BeckerAlisson Becker

Alisson has been no stranger to the sidelines in 2024 / Carl Recine/GettyImages

It’s been a frustrating 2024 for Alisson, who’s once again sidelined with a hamstring injury. Liverpool are fortunate they have such a handy back-up in Caoimhin Kelleher, who surely could have left the club in search of greater first-term opportunities in the summer.

Kelleher is once again filling in ably for the Brazilian number one, who won’t be back until after the international break. There’s some doubt as to how long he’ll be out after the November internationals, with the club holding out hope that he’ll be fit for the trip to St Mary’s.

Federico ChiesaFederico Chiesa

Chiesa’s Liverpool career is yet to get going / Alex Livesey – Danehouse/GettyImages

Federico Chiesa has been familiar with niggles and frustrating absences ever since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament at the start of 2022.

Fitness issues plagued the final days of his Juventus career and his Liverpool stint is yet to ignite after he suffered a muscle injury at the start of October.

Slot recently provided a concerning update on his recovery, saying: “Sometimes he’s there with us, trains a few days, and then goes out for injury again.

“I don’t want to put days or weeks on it, because I think we just have to make sure he gets in the best possible shape. I don’t want to put any pressure on him by coming up with dates.”

Who knows when we’ll next see Chiesa in action.

Harvey ElliottHarvey Elliott

Elliott is edging closer to a return / Michael Regan/GettyImages

A promising pre-season counted for little when Harvey Elliott’s momentum was disrupted by a foot fracture sustained during the September international break.

The playmaker has been sat on the sidelines since, but he is edging closer to making a comeback. Elliott will remain out up until the November break, but there’s a chance he’s back in the matchday squad for Liverpool’s venture down to the south coast immediately after.

READ THE LATEST LIVERPOOL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP

Man City injury updates ahead of Champions League trip to Sporting CP

These trips down to Bournemouth are not for the faint-hearted. For the first time ever, Manchester City succumbed to the Cherries at the weekend and Pep Guardiola cannot point towards a supposed injury crisis for mitigation.

City are still without key names and the manager was unable to fully integrate a couple of returning stars on Saturday, including Kevin De Bruyne, but it would be a disservice to Andoni Iraola’s side to merely focus on those the Cityzens were without.

The perennial champions’ injury woes weren’t as bad as they appeared heading into the game, with City having a few more than the 13 players Guardiola suspected would be available pre-match.

However, there are fresh concerns on the fitness front and their schedule is unrelenting before the November break. Here are the latest Manchester City injury updates as they prepare to face Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP.

John StonesJohn Stones

Stones is a fresh injury concern for the Cityzens / Nigel French/Allstar/GettyImages

City supporters have gotten used to life without John Stones for the past 12 months, with the England international struggling to string together a consistent run of games in the starting XI.

Stones captained the Cityzens to defeat in the Carabao Cup at Tottenham last Wednesday and was subsequently unavailable on Saturday.

The central defender is dealing with a foot injury and Guardiola is unsure as to whether he’ll feature before the international break: “John – I don’t know if he’ll be back for the next two games,” the Spaniard said.

Ruben DiasRuben Dias

Dias was absent with a muscle injury / Nigel French/Allstar/GettyImages

While Kyle Walker and Manuel Akanji both returned to the starting XI at the Vitality, Ruben Dias joined Stones on the sidelines.

The defender’s half-time withdrawal initially wasn’t thought to have been enforced by injury, but the Portuguese centre-back picked up a muscle problem in N17 and was absent on Saturday as a result.

Guardiola has already confirmed Dias will be out until after the international break.

Jack GrealishJack Grealish

Grealish is set to be out until after the November break / Nigel French/Allstar/GettyImages

Like Stones, Jack Grealish has been no stranger to the treatment table in recent times and there’s plenty of ambiguity surrounding his latest setback.

No information has been provided on the type of injury that has kept Grealish out of City’s last four games. What we do know is that the winger sustained the issue in training ahead of the Cityzens’ Champions League clash with Sparta Prague on 23 October.

The Englishman is also expected to be out until after the November break.

Oscar BobbOscar Bobb

Bobb suffered a leg break in pre-season / Marc Atkins/GettyImages

After showing glimmers last season, Oscar Bobb starred in pre-season and was bound to enjoy a breakthrough season in Manchester.

However, the young Norwegian was dealt a cruel injury blow at the end of the summer. Bobb suffered a leg fracture in August and is not yet close to making a comeback.

He should be back in action at the start of 2025.

Rodri HernandezRodri Hernandez

Ballon d’Or winner Rodri is out for the long haul / Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/GettyImages

The Ballon d’Or victor is not going to have a shot at defending his crown next year due to the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered during Man City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September.

Rodri’s absence has been keenly felt at the base of City’s midfield and Guardiola’s side will have to endure the rest of the 2024/25 campaign without him.

READ THE LATEST MAN CITY NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP

Real Madrid vs Milan: Preview, predictions and lineups

Carlo Ancelotti faces his former club on Tuesday night when Real Madrid take on Milan in the Champions League league phase.

Ancelotti lifted the trophy as a player and manager for the Rossoneri and remains venerated in Italy’s fashion capital. The all-time great coach has blossomed into a perennial victor of the competition at Madrid, but not much has gone his way at the start of the 2024/25 season.

The tragic events which continue to unfold in the south of Spain means Madrid’s La Liga clash with Valencia was postponed at the weekend, meaning their last outing before Tuesday’s game was their 4-0 defeat to a rampant Barcelona in El Clasico on 26 October.

Ancelotti’s side enter this contest having won two of their opening three league phase games, with Vinicius Junior inspiring Madrid to a come-from-behind 5-2 win over Borussia Dortmund last time out.

Paulo Fonseca has endured an up-and-down start to life as Milan manager, with their domestic inconsistency leaving them seventh in Serie A. They did, however, secure their first league phase win on Matchday 3, beating Club Brugge 3-1 having previously lost to Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen.

Here is 90min’s guide to Real Madrid vs Milan in the Champions League.

Real Madrid vs Milan H2H Record (Last Five Games)

Current form (all competitions)

Real Madrid

Milan

Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona – 26/10/24

Monza 0-1 Milan – 02/11/24

Real Madrid 5-2 Borussia Dortmund – 22/10/24

Milan 0-2 Napoli – 29/10/24

Celta Vigo 1-2 Real Madrid – 19/10/24

Milan 3-1 Club Brugge – 22/10/24

Real Madrid 2-0 Villarreal – 05/10/24

Milan 1-0 Udinese – 19/10/24

Lille 1-0 Real Madrid – 02/10/24

Fiorentina 2-1 Milan – 06/10/24

Country

TV channel/live stream

United Kingdom

discovery+, discovery+ App, TNT Sports 4

United States

Paramount+, fuboTV, TUDN.com, Univision NOW, TUDN App, TUDN USA, UniMás

Canada

DAZN

RodrygoRodrygo

Rodrygo is set to return from injury on Tuesday night / Angel Martinez/GettyImages

Madrid will be boosted by Rodrygo’s return to the matchday squad after a brief spell out due to injury and the Brazilian could come straight back into the Madrid XI on Tuesday night. Antonio Rudiger should also be fit to feature despite concerns over his knee.

Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe will once again operate up top, potentially alongside Rodrygo, while veteran Luka Modric will be considered in the middle of the park. There is some worry over midfielder Federico Valverde’s workload, but the Uruguayan may well come through to start.

Madrid are still without Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal.

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Milan (4-3-3): Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Modric, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinicius, Mbappe.

Ismael BennacerIsmael Bennacer

Ismael Bennacer is dealing with an ankle injury / Francesco Scaccianoce/GettyImages

Tammy Abraham returned to Fonseca’s squad at Monza on Saturday, but the Milan boss will likely stick with Alvaro Morata up top on Tuesday. The Spaniard broke through in his homeland’s capital a decade ago.

Abraham may be off the injury list, but the Rossoneri are still without Alessandro Florenzi, Luka Jovic and Mattia Gabbia. Metronomic midfielder Ismael Bennacer is also set to miss out again with an ankle injury.

Rafael Leao has shown signs of rediscovering his most electrifying form in recent outings and will join Morata and Christian Pulisic in Milan’s frontline on Tuesday.

Milan predicted lineup vs Real Madrid (4-3-3): Maignan; Royal, Thiaw, Tomori, Hernandez; Loftus-Cheek, Fofana, Reijnders; Pulisic, Morata, Leao.

Milan have been so up and down at the start of Fonseca’s reign, but every opponent has a chance against Madrid at the moment.

Vini Jr spared their blushes on Matchday 3 with an outstanding hat-trick before Ancelotti’s side were blown out of the water by Barca on their previous outing. The mini-break they’ve enjoyed as a result of their postponed fixture at the weekend will do Madrid some good and they should appear rejuvenated on Tuesday night.

Outside of their surprise Derby della Madonnina triumph, the Rossoneri have fallen short against superior opposition this season and, while Madrid will hand them periods of control in Tuesday’s game, their proficiency up top will prove far too much for the visitors to handle.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Milan

READ THE LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS, PREVIEWS & RATINGS HERE

Real Madrid predicted lineup vs Milan – Champions League

A pair of historic European giants do battle in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with Real Madrid welcoming Milan to the Spanish capital.

These two clubs have combined for 22 European Cup-Champions League titles, although Madrid have triumphed six times since Milan were last crowned European champions under the tutelage of Carlo Ancelotti in 2007.

Ancelotti faces up against his former club here with a myriad of problems to solve. Madrid’s postponed fixture with Valencia at the weekend means they haven’t been in action since their Clasico drubbing, but there must be some sort of response from the Champions League holders here.

Here’s the starting XI Ancelotti could pick for Milan’s visit on Matchday 4 of the league phase.

RodrygoRodrygo

Rodrygo is back in the Real Madrid squad / Angel Martinez/GettyImages

GK: Andriy Lunin – Thibaut Courtois is closing in on a return, but Lunin will likely continue between the Madrid sticks until the November break.

RB: Lucas Vazquez – Good luck, Lucas. The converted winger has the unenviable task of taking on Milan’s two-headed monster down their left flank here and will undoubtedly require support from those higher up the pitch defensively.

CB: Antonio Rudiger – The German has been dealing with a minor knee injury which briefly thrust his status for this fixture into doubt, but the latest reports suggest Rudiger will be fine to feature.

CB: Eder Militao – Rudiger’s partner could be competing for minutes once David Alaba returns to the fold, but Militao currently doesn’t have any competition for his position.

LB: Ferland Mendy – Ancelotti could use Eduardo Camavinga at left-back given Mendy’s struggles last time out, but the French left-back has had some time to ditch his Clasico woes from the memory.

CM: Luka Modric – Madrid need their superstar veteran in the wake of Toni Kroos’ retirement. The 39-year-old midfielder can offer his team a semblance of serene control in the middle of the park and should be fresh having enjoyed the weekend off.

CM: Federico Valverde – Madrid’s shuttling midfielder has a big role to play defensively as he’ll be stationed towards the right and tasked with slowing down the persistent surges of Theo Hernandez. He has trained alone ahead of this fixture.

CM: Jude Bellingham The Englishman quite remarkably hasn’t found the back of the net this season with his role in this team seemingly changing by the game. He could perform a box-to-box function here and have the license to crash the box when necessary.

RW: Rodrygo – The winger is back in the matchday squad following a relatively brief injury-enforced absence. While he’s more likely to enjoy a cameo role off the bench, Ancelotti must be tempted to include him in the starting XI right away given the balance he provides to Madrid’s attack.

ST: Kylian Mbappe – It’s been a pretty slow start to Mbappe’s Champions League campaign, although he did score in Madrid’s 3-1 win over Stuttgart on Matchday 1. The Frenchman endured a frustrating night in the Clasico last time out and will be keen to return to the scoresheet here.

LW: Vinicius Junior – The quest for the 2025 Ballon d’Or has already begun, with Vinicius Junior, feeling tremendously aggrieved by voters, bound to embark on a vengeful mission to claim that elusive golden ball.

READ THE LATEST REAL MADRID NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP

Topps unveil special Ballon d’Or collectors cards

Premier trading card brand Topps have unveiled their brand-new Ballon d’Or NOW collection, celebrating some of the best players in world football.

Manchester City star Rodri was crowned the best men’s player in the world and Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati the best women’s player at the star-studded 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.

The annual gala also celebrated Barca wonderkid Lamine Yamal who was named the best men’s player under the age of 21 after an immense campaign with both club and country.

Continuing on from this spectacular ceremony, Topps have released their exclusive new trading card collection, paying homage to the winners’ remarkable achievments within the game.

ToppsTopps

Collectors can find a special-edition Rodri card / Topp

The collection spotlights Rodri, Bonmati and Yamal – with cards that feature authentic swatches from the red carpet they strode down before the ceremony.

Topps’ collection, which is available until 8 November, features red carpet relics, limited-edition winner autographs and parallel cards. Fans have the ability to earn complete bragging rights if they are able to unpack one of these rare or hyper-rare cards.

Bonmati Topps trading cardBonmati Topps trading card

Bonmati won her second Ballon d’Or award / Topp

Each relic and autograph has been authenticated by Topps, ensuring fans own a certified piece of football history. These limited-edition cards have already begun to cause a stir online, with fans keen to track down the rare finds.

Previous Topps releases have carried high financial value, with a one-of-a kind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo signed card valued at £100k, as per reports.

Fans must act fast to find their limited-edition Ballon d’Or cards before they are no longer available

READ THE LATEST NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND MATCH REACTION