Diogo Jota misses Liverpool training ahead of Lille clash as injury woes continue

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Evening Standard

·20 de enero de 2025

Diogo Jota misses Liverpool training ahead of Lille clash as injury woes continue

Forward has played just 97 minutes of Champions League football this season

Diogo Jota is a doubt for Liverpool’s Champions League clash against Lille after he missed training on Monday.

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The forward came off the bench to score against Nottingham Forest last week and earn Liverpool a point, but picked up an injury in that cameo and was subsequently ruled out of the win over Brentford.

Jota did not take part in Liverpool’s open training session on Monday afternoon, which would appear to make it unlikely that he will be fit for Lille’s visit to Anfield on Tuesday night.

Speaking ahead of his side’s clash with Brentford over the weekend, Arne Slot revealed that Jota suffered a “niggle” against Forest.

The Liverpool boss said: "There is no doubt about the fact Jota is an important player for us, but he wasn't on the training ground yesterday so that means we have to see today where he is.

"He felt a little bit when he came in [at Forest], a little niggle during the half-hour he came in. He could finish the game, but afterwards he complained a bit about it and that's why he didn't train yesterday.”

It is a frustrating setback for Jota, who has made only seven Premier League starts and played just 97 minutes of Champions League football this season.

Slot had suggested Jota was ready to keep playing 90 minutes after he did so against Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup earlier this month, when he scored and wore the Liverpool captain’s armband for the first time.

However, the Portuguese forward now finds himself once again battling fitness issues.