Liverpool vs Hoffenheim. UEFA Champions League Qualifying Play-Offs Round.
AnfieldAttendance51,808.
6-3
Wednesday 23 August 2017 22:05, UK
Philippe Coutinho remains sidelined for Liverpool as they host Hoffenheim in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been subject to intense transfer speculation as Barcelona continue to chase him and has missed the start of the season with a back injury.
Jurgen Klopp has now confirmed that Coutinho is also suffering with illness and he is not sure when he will be back in action as the Reds look to make their 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Germany count.
"He can't [start training tomorrow] because on top [of the injury] he is now ill. One other player [was also ill] but with him it was not that serious so he was back in training today," the manager told a pre-match press conference.
"If he [Coutinho] would start tomorrow, it would take time because he has no training for a long time. I have no idea [when he will be back]. We would have to check in the moment when he is back.
"I'm expecting a football game. The main difference from the first game is now everybody knows about the quality of Hoffenheim. I already knew it. But I'm sure a lot of people in England didn't expect the quality they saw.
"For me it's half-time. At half-time you have to adjust things in the right direction. The first game was good enough to get a result but the second game has to be better."
Mark Uth pulled a late goal back for Hoffenheim during the match at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena last week, and manager Julian Nagelsmann says his side are still confident of making the group stages.
"People in Germany will be pleased if we make it. There will be surprise because people aren't betting on us. We're full of confidence. If we win people might be a bit shocked when we return home on Thursday," he told a pre-match press conference.
Alongside Coutinho, Adam Lallana (thigh) and Nathaniel Clyne (hamstring) will also miss the game through injury with the remainder of the squad set to be available.
Hoffenheim, meanwhile, have a fully fit team for the trip to Anfield.
Liverpool are unbeaten against German sides at home with a record of 11 wins and 3 draws from 14 matches
With the 2-1 in Hoffenheim, they have stretched their unbeaten run over Bundesliga clubs across all venue to 7 matches, 5 wins and 2 draws
The last two German teams to play competitive games at Anfield - Augsburg and Dortmund - both left with one-goal losses
This is Hoffenheim's first European tie, with the play-off first leg at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena in Sinsheim marking the start of their maiden continental campaign
Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino was at Hoffenheim between 2011 and 2015, scoring 38 goals in 140 league games
Their last five European games at Anfield have produced a home victory; in fact, Liverpool are unbeaten in nine home matches in Europe, since a 3-0 reverse to Real Madrid on 22 October 2014
I think it wasn't as glamorous as Celtic's win but the result was more impressive as Hoffenheim are a decent side and should have exploited Liverpool's defensive problems.
Thommo was covering the game on Soccer Special last week and was watching every set-piece from between his fingers. Simon Mignolet panics whenever the ball comes in into the box.
They lack authority when it comes to defending balls into their box, whether it is because of the zonal system or not. The worrying thing is Jurgen Klopp has not made them better in that area and the Philippe Coutinho issue is distracting them.
They're an exciting attacking side though and Sadio Mane's pace is frightening. We'll wait to see what we get with Daniel Sturridge this season, but I don't see anything other than a home win, although I'd expect both teams to score.
Charlie predicts: 2-1 and Mane to score first - 22/1 with Sky Bet
Liverpool are odds-on at 8/13 with Sky Bet to book their place in the Champions League group stages with another win and 100/30 to do so with a draw. That puts Hoffenheim up against odds of 11/2 to qualify and 4/1 just to record a victory, with a 2-1 away triumph and extra-time priced at 16/1 in Sky Bet's Price Boosts.
A host of Jurgen Klopp's players share first goalscorer favouritism at 4/1 with Sadio Mane enhanced from 9/2 to 11/2, while Andrej Kramaric is considered the visitors' main threat at 7/1 to break the deadlock.
