Liverpool's Milner, Can return to training ahead of Champions League final

Liverpool’s midfield could be set for a boost 10 days before a Champions League final clash with continental behemoth Real Madrid.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp addressed a series of squad concerns on Wednesday, and confirmed that both James Milner and Emre Can had returned to first-team training.

“James is in the group and will be back in training later – I think on Saturday or so we will see, or maybe Friday,” Klopp told the club’s official website. Milner had missed Sunday’s Premier League finale victory over Brighton as a precautionary measure after picking up a muscle issue.

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While Milner’s inclusion in the Champions League squad is a near certainty, Can hasn’t played since a mid-March match against Watford. The German international was subbed off with a back concern against the Hornets and a protracted recovery threatened the remainder of the 24-year-old’s campaign.

“Emre is here, that’s good – having him in the group is always good, a fantastic boy. We will see what we can do with him, there’s still a little bit of work to do, but good to have him here,” Klopp added.

With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s season and World Cup done courtesy of a serious knee injury sustained in the semi-final first leg against Roma, Liverpool’s slender midfield cannot afford another absentee. In the return fixture against the Italians, Klopp opted for a three-man midfield that featured Milner, Jordan Henderson, and Georginio Wijnaldum.