Uefa Champions League quarter-finals: Liverpool's worst fears were realised last night when Steven Gerrard was ruled out of tomorrow's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Juventus after aggravating a groin injury.
The England midfielder underwent a scan at the club's Melwood training complex yesterday which revealed a slight adductor strain had worsened during Liverpool's defeat at Manchester City on Saturday. Despite treatment over the weekend, the 24-year-old will not travel with the squad to Turin today.
His absence is a major blow to Rafael Benitez, already without the injured Dietmar Hamann for the delicately-balanced tie - the Premiership club enjoying a 2-1 lead.
Xabi Alonso has only recently recovered after breaking an ankle on New Year's Day and has had just 45 minutes of reserve-team football in more than four months, although he is likely to deputise for Gerrard at Stadio delle Alpi.
Alonso is confident he can last a full 90 minutes. "I am fit and ready for the Juventus game," he said, having been left out last Saturday to benefit from three days' training. Benitez hoped that would enable him to begin on the bench tomorrow but now he looks certain to start.
Gerrard, expected to be available for the Premiership visit of Tottenham on Saturday, will be sorely missed in Turin, but there are other concerns in the build-up to the match.
The Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has called for calm as fears persist over the possibility of crowd trouble, particularly outside the stadium, in the first competitive meeting between the clubs in Italy since 39 Juventus supporters died in the Heysel Stadium disaster at the 1985 European Cup final.
Liverpool have sold 2,323 of their allocated 3,600 tickets, and those who are travelling have been urged not to wear their club colours or scarves in Turin city centre.
"I'm sure the backing we receive in Stadio delle Alpi will be tremendous, but there is a balance to be struck before the game itself in the city," said Parry. "Fans must show restraint and understand that singing and chanting and draping the city centre in red may be taken as a lack of respect and an indication that we do not understand the feelings of our hosts.
"We should all recognise the particular circumstances surrounding this tie and avoid any behaviour which could be interpreted as provocative."
Parry will attend a private ceremony with Liverpool's chairman David Moores and Juventus directors in Turin this afternoon to remember those who died at Heysel.
Guardian Service
