Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo will be sidelined due to injury, and the club cannot add a replacement to their Champions League squad because of UEFA regulations.
The Japanese player sustained a ‘serious’ injury while playing at right-back during Liverpool’s win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
After the match, coach Arne Slot confirmed that Endo would be out for a long period, stating, “I assume he will be out for a long, long time.”
“What is long is hard to say right now, but the right full-back position has been challenging for us this season.”
Endo’s absence is significant for Liverpool due to his experience and versatility. While primarily a midfielder, he had been covering both right-back and centre-back positions, where the team is already short on options.
UEFA rules prevent Liverpool from adding new senior players to their Champions League squad
Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Due to UEFA rules, Liverpool cannot add a direct replacement for Endo at this stage of the tournament.
According to Rule 31.14.c, a club can replace an outfield player due to long-term injury, but this only applied during the first six matches of the league phase, which has already concluded.
Liverpool is now in the last 16 of the competition and will find out their opponents next week, but their squad has been reduced.
Slot can only add players through the B list, which does not include any senior players.
According to UEFA guidelines, “A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after January 1, 2004 and has been eligible to play for the club for any uninterrupted period of two years since his 15th birthday.”
This situation leaves Liverpool with just 19 senior players for the rest of their Champions League campaign.
Champions League last-16 draw details
By finishing among the top eight in their group, Liverpool has avoided the league phase play-offs and will enter the last-16 stage next month.
The draw for the round of 16, along with the quarter-finals and semi-finals, is set for Friday, February 27.
It will begin at 08:30 CET, which is 7:30 AM in the UK.
Liverpool might face teams like Atletico Madrid, Club Brugge, Galatasaray, or Juventus in the last-16.