Dembele to miss Barcelona´s Champions League trip to Liverpool

Ousmane Dembele will miss the second leg of the Champions League semi-final between Barcelona and Liverpool due to a hamstring injury.

Ernesto Valverde had to replace Dembele just six minutes into the 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Saturday and the France international was not included in the travelling party for Tuesday’s game at Anfield.

Barca announced that tests carried out Sunday confirmed a hamstring problem, but did not supply a timeframe for the 21-year-old’s return to the pitch.

Dembele started the 3-0 first-leg triumph on Wednesday among the substitutes as Philippe Coutinho was preferred in the front three.

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The former Borussia Dortmund attacker has suffered a series of injuries since arriving at Camp Nou in August 2017, with ankle and thigh issues causing him to miss time this year alone.

Speaking after the defeat to Celta, Valverde said: “With Dembele, it looks like a tear. We had already noticed during the play that something was not right. 

“We were worried quickly because it seems like a muscular tear. It is certainly not muscle fatigue because the other day [against Liverpool] he played very little.

“These things happen and as a coach I do not have an explanation.”