Minamino included in Liverpool’s Champions League squad
The Japanese midfielder has been registered in the defending champions’ A list. Yannick Carrasco enters for Last 16 rivals, Atlético.
European champions Liverpool have registered Japanese midfielder Takumi Minamino in their A list for the remainder of the Champions League. Clubs had until midnight on Monday to submit their A list for the knockout stages and were able to make a maximum of three changes to the squads they registered for the group stage.
Minamino, who joined the Reds before Christmas from Red Bull Salzburg, was the only change made by Jürgen Klopp, coming in for Dutch centre-back Sepp van den Berg. He made six appearances for his former club in this year’s group stage (inlcuding both games against Liverpool) but under Article 45.02 of UEFA’s Champions League regulations, players “who may have been fielded for another club in the qualifying phase, play-offs or group stage” can be registered for another team as from the first knockout round.
No changes for City or Chelsea
Liverpool were one of 14 clubs to modify their A list squads ahead of this month’s Last 16 ties – Manchester City and Chelsea were the only clubs not to make any changes. Atlético, who Klopp’s team face at the Wanda Metropolitano on 18 February before the tie is settled at Anfield on 11 March, also made one change to their squad. Winter loan arrival Yannick Carrasco comes in while five B team players have been omitted - Sergio Camello, Mikel Carro, Iván Montoro, Alberto Salido and Óscar Castro – two of whom have moved to other clubs on loan.
Real Madrid made a surprise addition to their list, bringing in Marco Asensio who has missed the whole season with a ACL-meniscus injury but is now just a few weeks away from returning. Álvaro Odriozola, who moved to Bayern Munich on loan last month is the player who Asensio replaces in the list while Castilla players Manu Hernando Pedro Ruiz have been excluded for the later rounds.