Dominik Szoboszlai has been left frustrated by his ongoing absence due to a hamstring injury, admitting he had “argued” with Liverpool medical staff.
The No. 8 is one of 11 senior players to miss the Carabao Cup final as an injury crisis blights Jurgen Klopp‘s squad.
• READ: Confirmed Liverpool lineup vs. Chelsea: 2 changes – no Salah or Nunez
It comes after aggravating a hamstring injury that kept him out for most of January, with Szoboszlai so far missing six more games for Liverpool.
There had been slim hopes of the Hungarian making the squad to face Chelsea at Wembley, but like Mo Salah and Darwin Nunez, the decision was made not to take risks.
Szoboszlai was among the injured players who travelled to London, however, and unlike Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold, he was able to walk unaided.
? Curtis Jones on crutches and Trent Alexander-Arnold in a knee brace as some of Liverpool’s injured players arrive at Wembley. pic.twitter.com/9hS1EPDX2k
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) February 25, 2024
And speaking to Hungarian outlet Match4, per Index, the 23-year-old insisted that, if the call was left to him, he would have been involved.
“I would play, I told them, my plan is to return as soon as possible pain-free, but taking the risks involved,” he explained.
“I would take the slightly bigger risk to play in the final…but [the medical staff] were more careful.
“And I’m also looking to the future: I’d rather play another 20 games than get injured again now.”
Szoboszlai has accepted the decision of Liverpool’s medical department, then, but admitted that he is not the nicest to be around while injured.
“I don’t wear it well, I hate not playing,” he said.
“I argued a lot with the doctors. I feel like I could play, but the diagnosis doesn’t show that. I believe they know better, but that’s how it feels.
“Klopp regularly inquires, asking how I am, when we don’t even meet, because I might go to training differently from the team.”
The hope, clearly, had been for Szoboszlai to take a place on the bench at Wembley – but Index claims that his most likely return fixture is the trip to Nottingham Forest on March 2.
