Liverpool Goalkeeper Alisson Doubtful for Bournemouth Clash

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
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Liverpool Goalkeeper Alisson Doubtful for Bournemouth Clash

Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP
Liverpool's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker © GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has revealed the club's Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker is a doubt for Saturday's Premier League clash with Bournemouth.

Alisson aggravated a hamstring injury that had been troubling him for several weeks during Tuesday's Champions League win at AC Milan.

The Brazil international has played every match for Liverpool this season, keeping three clean sheets in five games in all competitions, and his absence would be a blow to title-chasing Liverpool, AFP reported.

Ireland keeper Caoimhin Kelleher would likely deputise for Alisson if the 31-year-old cannot face Bournemouth at Anfield this weekend.

"Alisson is still a doubt if he can train today and if he can't, probably won't play. He has a slight issue with one of his muscles," Slot told reporters on Friday.

"We wonder if this game tomorrow is coming too early or not. He didn't take it from the Milan game, it happened a bit before, but after the Milan game he felt it more.

"Now we have to wait and see if he is ready to be in goal tomorrow or wait a few extra days."

With Liverpool in the middle of a gruelling run of seven games in 22 days, Alisson spoke ahead of the Milan game about his concern over the increased workload players face with the expansion of the Champions League.

"What we want is to give our best for the football. If you are tired you cannot compete at a high level," Alisson said in Milan.

"I want to give my best in all the games I play but we need a solution. It does not look like we are close to a good solution for football's sake and players' sake."

Slot acknowledged it is important to consider the health of players, given the extra burden placed on them by the schedule.

"We are thinking about what's to come, we are aware of the fact it's a long season," he said.

"The main difference with the Premier League to Europe is we have to play at Christmas and New Year.

"We need a lot of players and we take that into account when making a line-up."



Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
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Lewandowski Scores 7th Goal to Give Barcelona 7th Straight Win in Spanish league

25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
25 September 2024, Spain, Brcelona: Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the Spanish Division Primera soccer match between FC Barcelona and Getafe CF at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Photo: Gerard Franco/DAX via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

With Robert Lewandowski on target again, Barcelona extended its perfect start to the Spanish league season.
Lewandowski scored his seventh goal in as many matches and Barcelona won its seventh in a row in the league by defeating Getafe 1-0 at home on Wednesday.
The triumph gives Barcelona its second-best league start ever, equaling the seven victories it also earned at the start of the 2017-18 season. The Catalan club won eight straight to start the 2013-14 season, The Associated Press reported.
“I'm really proud about my team. They fight 90 minutes or 95 minutes," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. “But also I'm very proud because the fans they realized that we needed them and they give everything. It's a good connection at the moment and I'm really happy about that.”
Barcelona has outscored its opponents 23-5 in its first seven games this season. It has a four-point lead over defending champion Real Madrid, which on Tuesday beat Alaves 3-2.
Lewandowski got his league-leading seventh goal from close range in the 19th minute. He picked up a loose ball inside the area after Getafe goalkeeper David Soria couldn't hold on to a high cross into the area.
The Poland striker, who had scored twice in a 5-1 rout of Villarreal on Sunday, was replaced by Pedri in the 77th.
Lewandowski's goal was Barcelona's 6,500 in 3,035 league matches, according to the club.
Iñaki Peña started in goal in place of Marc-André ter Stegen, who sustained a serious knee injury in the team's previous league match.
Barcelona players entered the field with a T-shirt with words of support for Ter Stegen, who is one of the team's captains.
Getafe, which nearly equalized with Borja Mayoral from close range in stoppage time, remains winless and in second-to-last place.
“That was a big scare, but the ball didn't goal in and we left with the three points,” Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde said.
Also Wednesday, Girona and Rayo Vallecano drew 0-0 in Girona.
Barcelona plays at Osasuna on Saturday. It then visits Alaves the following weekend.