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Luis Diaz will not be fit in time for Liverpool’s Champions League second leg away at Real Madrid, Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.
Diaz has not played for the Reds since suffering a knee injury in the 3-2 Premier League defeat against Arsenal in October.
In an interview with Sky Sports two weeks ago, the Colombia international seemed to hint at the last-16 second leg on March 15 being a possible return date, saying: “Let’s wait a little to see when I can come back to the pitch, and if it’s the [Santiago] Bernabeu, it will be no problem.”
But Klopp revealed the winger is yet to return to training and will miss that crucial match, with Liverpool looking to pull off the unthinkable having been thumped 5-2 by Madrid in the first leg at Anfield last week.
Despite the 26-year-old’s long absence, Klopp is confident he can have a big influence on the team when he does return, adding to reporters: “It’s estimated that maybe next week he will be warming up with the team and then maybe a week later being in team training.
“I’m positive about him that there’s a good chance to have a real impact in 10, 11, 12 games, maybe. We will see how long it exactly takes.
“When he is back, he will be really good and very impactful, of course. That is clear. How quickly, I don’t know. We have to see.
“That’s the big challenge in these moments. There’s no time for being patient, but you have to be patient.
“But you always have to wait. On Tuesday, I saw a very intense session, a lot of change of direction and stuff like this. If there is no reaction from that, then he can make the next step.”
