Liverpool will be missing three players for its Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. But the potentially bigger issue is the threat of suspension if the Reds progress, with five players walking a UEFA disciplinary tightrope.
While Cody Gakpo has returned to Liverpool training, Conor Bradley, Joe Gomez and Tyler Morton remain out due to long-term injuries. These absences undeniably hurt Arne Slot’s squad, although none of the trio would have been especially likely to start against PSG.
The same is not true of several Liverpool players who are just one yellow card away from suspension. Captain Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson and Harvey Elliott are all facing a one-game ban if they pick up a booking in the clash with PSG, having been booked twice each throughout the competition so far.
Furthermore, Alexis Mac Allister, who has already served a one-game ban in the league phase, is at risk of an additional suspension. The Argentine has been booked four times so far in this season’s competition, the joint second-most of any player.
Players in the Champions League face a one-game suspension after accumulating three yellow cards that did not result in a red card. Any subsequent odd-numbered caution incurs a further ban.
Yellow cards do not expire until the quarter-finals are completed, meaning the five Liverpool players have to navigate through three games without getting booked to avoid a ban. The immediate task, however, will be getting through the match with PSG without getting into any hot water — and, crucially, emerging on the winning side.
Learn more
If any of the quintet receive a yellow card in the match against PSG, they will be suspended for the first leg of the quarter-final, which would either be against Club Brugge or Aston Villa, should Liverpool advance to the last eight. The Midlands outfit holds a 3-1 aggregate advantage ahead of the home leg.
Ryan Gravenberch, Luis Diaz, Kostas Tsimikas and Darwin Nunez have all received a booking in the Champions League this season, so they would all face a ban if they got booked twice more before the end of the quarter-finals. Should Liverpool continue to progress, cards would reset ahead of a semi-final with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid or Arsenal.
Liverpool.com says: Obviously, a best-case scenario would see Liverpool progress at Anfield without incurring any suspensions. But if Robertson finds himself needing to scythe down Ousmane Dembele to stop a big chance at some stage, he will have to do it.
Ultimately, progression is the only objective that matters. Slot will work with whatever players are available to him in the event that Liverpool books its spot in the next round.
