Mamadou Sakho must wait a little while longer before he gets his chance to work his way back into Brendan Rodgers’ good graces.
At his pregame press conference ahead of Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League game at Basel on Wednesday, Rodgers said Sakho suffered a thigh injury, which could him out for at least the Reds’ next two games.
“(Liverpool’s squad is) pretty much the same as we were at the weekend apart from that Mamadou Sakho is not here — he has a slight strain, which may have him out for a few weeks,” Rodgers said Tuesday, according to LiverpoolFC. “His injury came in a training session. It’s unfortunate — he’s just felt a pain in his thigh. He went and had a scan on it which showed he’s got a slight tear in there, which will be probably two to three weeks.”
Sakho’s recovery timetable prevents him from appearing against Basel or West Brom, which Liverpool plays Saturday in its next Premier League game. There then will be a two-week break from club play, during which international teams are in action.
Sakho, a France international, likely will miss his country’s games against Portugal (at home on Oct. 11) and Armenia (away on Oct. 14).
Sakho could be in contention to earn a place in Liverpool’s squad for its Oct. 19 Premier League game at Queens Park Rangers.
But that assumes Rodgers will be willing to select Sakho by then.
Sakho, 24, came under criticism last weekend after he stormed out of Anfield upon learning that he wouldn’t be part of Liverpool’s 18-man squad which took on Everton on Saturday. Sakho watched the 1-1 draw in “isolation” but later apologized.
It’s unclear how (if at all) Rodgers will discipline Sakho, as these matters often are handled internally, but the Liverpool manager briefly touched on the topic at his press conference, according to David Triggs of the Liverpool Echo.
[tweet https://twitter.com/DavidTriggs78/status/516986230761078784 align=’center’]
Sakho’s road back to prominence undoubtedly will include plenty of rest and even more hard work.
Sakho’s early exit requires lengthy repentance, short exile >>
Photo via LiverpoolFC.com
