NEWS:FERNANDO TORRES' prospects of leading the Liverpool attack against Real Madrid will be decided following a make-or-break training session today, although Yossi Benayoun will miss the critical Champions League tie with a hamstring strain.
Liverpool’s in-form Israeli, who scored the only goal at the Bernabeu last month, could be out for a fortnight after colliding with a team-mate in training at the weekend and suffering an apparent hamstring tear.
The midfielder is due to undergo a scan to confirm the severity of the problem today and is expected to sit out at least the Champions League return at Anfield tomorrow plus Saturday’s visit to Manchester United in the Premier League.
Benayoun’s injury could not have come at a worse time for Rafael Benitez, with the Israel captain in the midst of the best spell of his Anfield career, and the manager’s options rest heavily on the outcome of a training session at Melwood today.
Torres has missed Liverpool’s last two league games, having twisted an ankle in the opening minutes of the first leg against Real on February 25th.
The Spain international returned to training yesterday, but only took part in a light session as Benitez eases his leading striker towards a comeback tomorrow night. A final decision on whether Torres can start will be taken following a more intensive run-out today, with the forward optimistic of facing his former Madrid adversaries.
Alvaro Arbeloa, who has missed Liverpool’s last two matches with a hamstring strain, also returned to light training and has an outside chance of returning .
A Kuwaiti investment group, meanwhile, has confirmed it remains interested in buying Liverpool from Tom Hicks and George Gillett despite last week’s claim that the Americans were asking “too much”.
Abdulla Al-Sager, who is representing the Al Kharafi family in the talks, revealed he expected negotiations to resume within a fortnight as Hicks and Gillett look for a buyer or investor ahead of the July deadline on their €390 million refinancing package.
“They are willing to negotiate and we are negotiating and will continue to do so,” said Al-Sager. “We are serious and things can change.”
“Hicks and his team are nice people and unbelievably humble,” he added. “We are huge supporters and we definitely want something to happen.”
The Americans’ time at Anfield has been beset by off-field troubles, notably the contract wrangle with Benitez and the construction of the club’s new stadium in Stanley Park, which has been delayed due to the global economic crisis.
Differences had appeared among the original consortium and the Al-Sager family say they will now continue with talks separately about buying by a percentage of Liverpool.
Al-Sager said the Al-Kharafis would not be part of the talks, but that if his family did become stakeholders they would push through the delayed Stanley Park stadium.
GuardianService
