Champions League news - Raphael Varane ruled out of Liverpool clash in huge blow for Real Madrid
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Updated 06/04/2021 at 12:15 GMT
Real Madrid suffered a huge blow on the day of their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Liverpool at the Bernabeu as star defender Raphael Varane had to be ruled out. The Frenchman has tested positive for Covid-19 and will not be able to play against Jurgen Klopp's side in the opening match of their crunch tie.
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Raphael Varane has been ruled out of the first leg of Real Madrid's Champions League quarter-final against Liverpool after he tested positive for Covid-19.
The hugely disappointing news for Zinedine Zidane's men is compounded by the fact that captain Sergio Ramos had already been declared unable to play due to injury.
Meanwhile, Dani Carvajal is also not in contention to feature, meaning it will come down to Nacho Fernandez and either Lucas Vazquez or Eder Militao to keep Liverpool at bay.
The return leg, which will be played at Anfield, is due to take place on April 14, meaning Real will be sweating on the fitness of the defenders until then.
The highly-anticipated match will be a repeat of the 2018 Champions League final which Real won 3-1 amid drama as a tearful Mohamed Salah sustained an injury following a controversial challenge from Ramos.
The absence of both Varane and Ramos, in particular, will come as a massive setback for the 13-times European champions against the Reds.
Meanwhile Klopp, who dismissed the idea of his side seeking revenge for the 2018 final in this tie, will largely have the same squad available to him that beat Arsenal 3-0 on Saturday. Midfielder Jordan Henderson and defenders Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk have all been ruled out, but there are no fresh injury concerns for Klopp.
"My motivation is at the highest level because it's the Champions League," said Klopp. "This has nothing to do with 2018 but when I got the draw - because it's the first time we played Real Madrid since then - of course I remembered the game.
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"I said after that game that if somebody asked me a week later or a month later if I would invite Sergio Ramos to my 60th birthday, then I would say no. I would think about it again.
"He's a great footballer but I didn't like what happened that night. It was a strange night for us but it's long ago and I cannot get that feeling back, that anger or whatever, so I don't even try.
"We are not on a revenge tour here. I don't believe too much in revenge, but it would be nice to get through, because it would mean we are in the next round."
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