After securing a spot in the Europa League final with an emphatic 3-1 aggregate victory over Spanish side Villarreal CF, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has hinted that both club captain Jordan Henderson and striker Divock Origi could be fit in time for the final in Basel, Switzerland later this month.
“I don’t know exactly in this moment. [Henderson] was really celebrating yesterday after the game!” said the Reds manager with a smile. “I saw in his eyes he thinks he has a chance, so that’s the first and most important step in the right direction,” explained Klopp, before adding, “Hendo is in a really good way, so it is really good for England because there is no doubt at this moment about being fit for the European Championships.”
Emre Can, who was supposedly out for the remainder of the season after damaging ankle ligaments in the second leg of the quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund, returned to the starting eleven last night and put in 90-minutes as the Anfield outfit sunk the Yellow Submarine. The debate has already started over who should face Sevilla on May 18th, but if either Origi or Henderson are back in training, they could very well come in to contention.
“The same with Divock Origi, but we will see, I have no idea,” said Klopp when asked about the Belgian striker. “Before you are able to play in the final on the Wednesday after the season, the latest moment after a long break when you should be available is the Sunday before – then there’s a chance, but there is no situation for taking the risk.”
