A huge injury blow to Portugal could force Fernando Santos to reconsider his attacking options.
Diogo Jota will miss the World Cup after sustaining a calf injury in Liverpool’s victory over Manchester City on Sunday.
An untimely injury saw Liverpool’s medical staff stretcher Jota out of the pitch in the stoppage time of the game.
Jota’s absence adds to Liverpool’s ongoing fitness crisis, but it’s also bad news for Portugal, who will have to enter the World Cup without one of their key forwards.
“It’s really not good news. Yes, he will miss the World Cup,” Jurgen Klopp told a press conference on Tuesday.
“It’s a pretty serious injury, calf muscle. Now we have to recover. The process starts like this. That’s the first diagnosis which was pretty clear.
“It’s very sad news for the boy, for us, and for Portugal.”
Jota won’t go under the knife, but Klopp admits his recovery will take time.
“I don’t want to put a number on it. Yes, it will be long,” Klopp said.
In Jota’s absence, Rafael Leao will become Portugal’s main option at the left-hand side of their attacking line. Joao Felix, who has struggled for form this season, could also find more chances due to Fernando Santos’ limited options upfront.
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