Philippe Coutinho not included in Liverpool’s Champions League squad

The Brazilian playmaker missed the Merseyside club’s opening Premier League game on Saturday due to a back injury and has failed to recover in time for the European trip.

Liverpool confirmed the squad that has travelled to Hoffenheim with Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge being the most notable squad omissions. The pair picked up injuries in pre-season, so will be unfit for the play-off match against the German side.

Coutinho is still strongly linked with a move to Spanish giants Barcelona, who have reportedly already had a €100m bid rejected by the Premier League club.

Liverpool owners FSG were quick to release a statement last week that rejected any possibility of selling the 25-year-old to the Catalan club. The owners are confident that Coutinho will still be at the club once the transfer window closes, despite rumours of a transfer request being submitted.