February 28, (THEWILL) – After Thiago was made to sit out the Carabao English Football League Cup final owing to a hamstring discomfort, Liverpool are examining the severity of the player’s injury.
The Spain international was replaced in the starting lineup by Naby Keita after complaining of discomfort during the warm-up at Wembley. Thiago was seen in tears on the Liverpool bench before kick-off, as goalkeeper Alisson consoled him.
The final, which remained goalless but incident-filled after 120 minutes, saw Jurgen Klopp’s team beat Chelsea 11-10 on penalties as Thiago watched on, cheering teammates all the way to the conclusion of a dramatic final.
Having endured a stop-start season, the 29-year-old is anxious to avoid another stint on the sidelines. Calf and hip issues, as well as a bout of COVID-19, limited him to only 12 starts across all events in 2021-22.
And the team also missed his commanding presence. It showed early in the final, as Chelsea started brighter, with Keita, understandably, taking time to relax after being handed a start on such short notice.
To Liverpool’s good fortune, the Guinea international improved and played an important role in a fast-paced match before being substituted by James Milner.
Due to Thiago’s absence from the squad, Elliott was promoted to the bench, and Klopp introduced the teenager with 11 minutes remaining in the second half. Elliott then maintained his composure to score in the thrilling shootout.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
