Liverpool have been given a major boost ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Wednesday with Roberto Firmino taking part in training.
The Brazilian missed Liverpool's 5-0 drubbing of Huddersfield Town on Friday in the Premier League with a minor groin injury.
Manager Jurgen Klopp said after the win over the Terriers he was optimistic the No. 9 would be ready in time to face Barca.
And Firmino was back training with the first-team squad on Tuesday:
The No.10 has been in superb form in the Champions League this season and scored twice as Barca beat Manchester United 4-0 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. Against Premier League opposition Messi has 24 goals in 32 Champions League games.
It’s not just Messi who Liverpool will have to keep a close eye on in the two legs, but also former Anfield stars Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho.
Brazilian Coutinho has not had the best of starts to his Barca career since joining from Liverpool in January 2018. But he scored against United in the 3-0 win at the Camp Nou in what has been described as his best performance for the Catalans. He may start from the bench against Jurgen Klopp’s side.
The BBC’s Spanish football expert Andy West writes: “With that goal, it looked as if Coutinho was finally starting to feel comfortable alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the Barca forward line, suggesting he could yet convert his talent into meaningful end product on a consistent basis.”
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