Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been included in Liverpool’s Champions League squad for the knockout stages in another strong indication the midfielder could return from a serious knee injury to feature this season.
The England midfielder was not included in the group-stage squad after rupturing ligaments in his right knee in the first leg of the semi-final against Roma last season, and it was feared he would be out for the entire 2018-19 campaign.
But boss Jurgen Klopp hinted in December that he could return as early as February, and Oxlade-Chamberlain stepped up his recovery at a warm-weather training camp in the Middle East last month.
Dutch centre-back Ki-Jana Hoever is also named in the A list at just 17 years old, having made his first-team debut in the FA Cup defeat to Wolves last month.
Oxlade-Chamberlain named in our Champions League squad.
Brilliant news! #LFC pic.twitter.com/izneu0LazD
— Ben Webb (@BenWebbLFC) February 5, 2019
Liverpool – last year’s Champions League runners-up – face Bayern Munich over two legs in the last-16, the first of which is at Anfield on February 19.
Champions League clubs are limited to 17 non-locally trained players in a squad of 25. Eligible youngsters are registered on a ‘B List’.
Full Liverpool squad
Non-locally trained players: Alisson Becker, Simon Mignolet, Virgil van Dijk, Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno, Andy Robertson, Joel Matip, Ki-Jana Hoever, Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Naby Keita, Xherdan Shaqiri, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Divock Origi.
Locally trained players: James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge.