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Team News: Roberto Firmino on the bench for Liverpool against Barcelona

Team News: Roberto Firmino on the bench for Liverpool against Barcelona
© Reuters
Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino only makes the bench for his side's Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino has only been deemed fit enough to make the bench for his side's Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at the Camp Nou this evening.

The Brazilian missed Friday night's 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town due to a small groin tear and has now failed to prove his fitness in time to be named in Jurgen Klopp's starting XI for tonight's showdown.

Firmino's compatriot Fabinho does return to the side, though, having overcome the head injury which ruled him out of Liverpool's last game.

Fabinho's return is one of four changes made from Friday's match, with Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and James Milner also coming into the side.

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a surprise exclusion from the starting XI as he is replaced at right-back by Gomez, who makes his first start in any competition since December.

Barcelona, meanwhile, welcome talisman Lionel Messi back into their side after he was rested from the start at the weekend, with the Argentine looking for his 25th goal against English opposition - and his first against Liverpool.

Sergi Roberto and Sergio Busquets also come back into the starting XI, with Arthur and Nelson Semedo dropping out for Ernesto Valverde.

Philippe Coutinho is chosen ahead of Ousmane Dembele to face his old club, while another former Liverpool favourite Luis Suarez leads the line for Barcelona.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal; Messi, Suarez, Coutinho
Subs: Semedo, Arthur, Dembele, Cillessen, Malcom, Alena, Umtiti

Liverpool: Alisson; Gomez, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Keita, Salah, Mane
Subs: Lovren, Firmino, Henderson, Mignolet, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold

Follow Sports Mole's live in-depth coverage of tonight's match by clicking here.

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Barcelona duo Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi celebrate a goal against Leganes in La Liga on January 20, 2019.
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City36302490226892
2Liverpool36287184206491
3Tottenham HotspurSpurs362311265362970
4Chelsea36208860392168
5Arsenal362061069492066
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd36198964511365
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36159124644254
8Leicester CityLeicester36156155147451
9Everton36148145044650
10Watford36148145152-150
11West Ham UnitedWest Ham36137164554-946
12Crystal Palace36127174348-543
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle36119163645-942
14Bournemouth36126185265-1342
15Burnley36117184463-1940
16Southampton36911164461-1738
17Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton3698193355-2235
18Cardiff CityCardiff3694233066-3631
RFulham3675243476-4226
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield3635282074-5414

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