Balotelli will be forced to watch Liverpool’s next Champions League game against Ludogorets Razgrad at home, as the striker is ruled out with a groin injury.
Balotelli missed Liverpool’s poor 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace this past weekend, with the injury still prohibiting him from taking to the pitch in Bulgaria. However, Jordan Henderson will be available for Brendan Rodgers’ team, as the midfielder is no longer suffering from the illness that forced him to sit out of the club’s woeful performance at Selhurst Park.
Also See: Alexis Sanchez Suffering From Fatigue Due to “Girlfriend’s Demands in the Bedroom”
Liverpool now sit in third place in Group B of the Champions League with two game sin hand, with it being questionable whether or not they’ll advance to the knockout stages of the competition. If they are beaten by Ludogorets they will then be relying on Real Madrid to defeat Basel (which is admittedly likely) in order to remain in the league. If Basel hold out against the La Liga giants, the Merseyside club will be sent packing.
Speaking to Liverpool’s official website following the club’s defeat at the hands of Palace, manager Brendan Rodgers said: “We need to be more tenacious, more aggressive and have a greater capacity to defend better as a team.
“When there are moments to defend, you have to defend better – and that’s something that we’ll look to do.”
Liverpool will be looking to at least advance to the knockout stages of the Champions League if only to save face, with the club currently languishing in 12th place in the Premier League. However, Balotelli’s absence will likely not be regarded as a huge loss for the team, as the striker has yet to find a good run of form for the club since moving from AC Milan on a £16 million three-year contract back in August.
Photo: Getty Images
