Just two players from Liverpool’s first team have yet to play a minute in 2023–2024.
One is backup right back and Northern Ireland international Conor Bradley, who injured his back in the summer and is likely to miss the majority of the coming season.
Thiago Alcantara is the other one.
The 32-year-old playmaker, who is currently nearing the end of his four-year Liverpool deal, was once expected to make a preseason comeback after an injury ended his 2022–2023 campaign. After 14 games of the new season, he is yet to be included in a matchday squad for the Reds, as a number of setbacks have postponed his return date.
There has been little official news on Thiago’s recuperation, and when asked about the midfielder’s absence, Jurgen Klopp remained evasive.
Prior to Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semifinal matchup with Bournemouth, assistant manager Pep Lijnders told the media that Thiago’s comeback will “take time.”
He stated, “Thiago is missed.” Can you picture our midfield, the new players we mentioned earlier, with Thiago in the middle? Using his experience to guide the others.
“We truly do miss him. It will take time, and he won’t be available.”
What is known, though, concerning Thiago’s injury?
WHAT INJURY DOES THIAGO HAVE?
For a recurring hip problem, Thiago had surgery back at the beginning of May.
Neil Jones stated at the time that the surgery was “minor” but required to assist treat a chronic hip flexor ailment that had reappeared in the 2022–2023 season.
Thiago was not allowed to play in the final five Premier League games of the previous season due to the operation, but he did travel to Germany with the Liverpool team for their preseason tour along with other former Spain internationals. He did not participate in the friendlies, though, and as a result, he was not included in the club’s trip to Singapore.
Due to a number of obstacles in his rehabilitation, Thiago will not be able to play again or even participate in full team training in 2023–2024.
WHEN DID THIAGO LAST PLAY FOR LIVERPOOL?
Six months have passed since Thiago had hip surgery, but it has been seven since he last appeared in a Liverpool match.
The former star of Bayern Munich replaced Jordan Henderson as a substitute during the 2-1 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium on April 26, 2023.
But on February 4, when Klopp’s team lost 3-0 to Wolves at Molineux, possibly the low point of a terrible season, he made his last start for the Reds.
HOW MANY GAMES HAS THIAGO MISSED?
Despite some great moments, Thiago’s tenure at Liverpool has been marred by problems with his conditioning.
Due to his most recent injury and surgical recuperation, the midfield player has missed 21 games in all competitions over the course of two seasons.
At this point, it’s anybody’s guess as to how many “games missed” Thiago really ends up missing because he hasn’t given a return date.
Since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2020, Thiago has missed a staggering 87 games for both club and country due to injury, according per Transfermarkt’s estimations.
In a Premier League season, he has never participated in more than 25 games.
WHAT HAS JURGEN KLOPP SAID?
The recuperation schedule for Thiago has been rather ambiguous for Klopp and Liverpool’s official communications in recent weeks. The manager has consistently acknowledged the midfielder’s absence when questioned, but he has not provided additional information regarding when he would be ready to play again.
Thiago was due to begin team training at the beginning of September, but Klopp revealed his number six has experienced a “little setback.”
Prior to the match against Newcastle, he stated: “Thiago had a little setback.” We had to take it slow there for a while after [he] experienced a small setback when beginning training with the team.
The former Barcelona player is back in individual training, Lijnders disclosed later in September, stating: “He’s healing and is individual on the pitch, simple but effective.” How that turns out will have to wait.”
Klopp then verified Thiago’s subsequent setback in October.
“It’s just, for him (Thiago) especially, it’s annoying, he’s now had two setbacks in the rehab,” stated the manager.
“Not enormous, but sufficient to remove him from the pitch once more. clearly not the same injury at all, but somewhat comparable.”