Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that the omission of Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold from his starting XI against Barcelona are merely precautionary measures.
The pair have been named on the bench for the vital first-leg clash of the Champions League semi-final at Camp Nou, as the Reds look to reach the final for the second successive year.
The absence of Firmino and Alexander-Arnold, two stand-outs at Anfield this year, has already alarmed some fans but Klopp has now moved to allay fears that both may play no part.
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Speaking to BT Sport pre-match, the 51-year-old stated that his decision to bench the pair came down to fitness and minutes, given Liverpool’s hectic end-of-season schedule.