Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo faces a spell on the sidelines due to injury, but the club won’t be able to add a replacement to their Champions League squad because of UEFA regulations.
The Japan international picked up what was described as a ‘serious’ injury while filling in at right-back during Liverpool’s victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Speaking after the match, Arne Slot confirmed that Endo would be out for an extended period. He said: “I assume he will be out for a long, long time.
“What is long, it is difficult to say at this moment but you can hardly believe what this right full-back position brings us this season.”
Endo’s absence will hit Liverpool hard, not just because of his experience but also due to his ability to cover multiple positions. While naturally a midfielder, he had been filling in as cover for both right-back and centre-back roles – two areas where Liverpool are already stretched thin.
UEFA rules prevent Liverpool from adding new senior players to their Champions League squad
Despite the need to fill his spot, UEFA rules prevent the club from bringing in a direct replacement at this stage of the competition.
Rule 31.14.c allows for one outfield player to be replaced in cases of long-term injury or illness. However, that rule only applied during the first six games of the league phase, which has already finished.
Liverpool are now into the last-16 of the competition, and their squad has been depleted ahead of learning their opponents next week.
The only way Slot can now add players to his squad is via the B list, but those options won’t include any senior names.
This is because, according to UEFA’s handbook: “A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after January 1, 2004 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years.”
It leaves Liverpool with just 19 senior players available for the remainder of their Champions League campaign.
Champions League last-16 draw details
By finishing in the top eight of their group, Liverpool have bypassed the league phase play-offs and will enter the competition at the last-16 stage next month.
The draw for the round of 16, as well as the quarter-finals and semi-finals, is scheduled for Friday, February 27.
It will start at 08:30 CET, which is 7:30AM in the UK.
Liverpool could be drawn against Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, Galatasaray or Juventus in the last-16.
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