[인터풋볼] By Shin Dong-hoon= The moment Fabinho collapsed, Liverpool fans must have been heartbroken.
Liverpool defeated Aston Villa 2-1 in the English Premier League (EPL) round 33 match for the 2021-22 season held at Villa Park in Birmingham, England on the 11th at 4 am (Korean time). With the victory, Liverpool reached 86 points and were tied with Manchester City, who played one game less, but fell behind by the difference in goals and finished second.
It was a valuable victory, but it was also bleeding. In the 26th minute of the first half, Fabinho, who was moving to receive a pass from Constantine Zimicas, failed to catch the ball properly, and Felipe Coutinho caught it and continued the counterattack. It didn’t lead to a dangerous scene, but Fabinho grabbed the back of his thigh and fell. As a result of the medical check-up, he left the stadium as he judged that it was impossible to play any more. Instead, Jordan Henderson came in.
Liverpool won despite the absence of Fabinho, but there is no choice but to worry about the degree of injury. Fabinho is an important part of Liverpool’s game management. Fabinho, who is in front of the centre-backs, controls the overall center of Liverpool. He leads the defensive covers and rear build-ups, allowing Liverpool to balance and gain the upper hand. The fact that the left and right full-backs can go up aggressively is because of the presence of Fabinho.
Fabinho’s influence shines even when he cuts off the opponent’s counterattack. In the previous match, against Tottenham Hotspur, he committed a harsh foul by hitting the neck and shoulder with an elbow to stop Son Heung-min from counterattacking. For Jurgen Klopp, who is having fun making the most of Fabinho’s abilities, the news of his injury is a clear blow.
Liverpool must continue to compete until the end of the season. The trophy can be lifted in as many as three competitions. In the EPL, they are competing for the trophy with Manchester City, and they are in the finals of the FA Cup in England and the Champions League (UCL). Liverpool, who have already won the English Football League Cup (EFL Cup), will complete an unprecedented quadruple if they win all three tournaments.
Fabinho’s absence is a fatal blow in a situation where a historic cause is at hand. Even if it is not a major injury, there is a high possibility that you will have problems maintaining your condition. “I felt a problem with my right hamstring,” Klopp said at a press conference after the game. It doesn’t seem like much of a pain. It can be seen in a positive way, but we need to keep an eye on the situation and the results of the examination.”
