Liverpool fans hoping to see Divock Origi in action against the Reds in this season’s Champions League will be disappointed.
Origi, who became a cult hero at Anfield due to his crucial goals during the 2019 Champions League run, ended his Liverpool stint in 2022 and joined AC Milan on a free transfer. However, his time at San Siro hasn’t been smooth sailing, leading to a loan spell at Nottingham Forest last season.
Despite returning to Milan after Forest decided against a permanent deal, Origi won’t be part of the matchday squad as they face Liverpool in the Champions League.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who returned to Milan as an advisor in 2024, has had a say in first-team matters. Despite being team-mates with Origi in the 2022/23 season, the Swedish legend has relegated him to the reserves.
“Divock Origi and Fode Ballo-Toure are not part of our plans,” Ibrahimovic declared in July. “They will be part of the youth team as they’re not included in our project,” reports the Mirror.
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(Image: Getty Images)
Ballo-Toure, like Origi, had a tough loan spell in England last term, playing just 65 Premier League minutes for Fulham across six substitute outings, and was not picked up permanently by Marco Silva’s side.
Milan boss Paulo Fonseca chose summer signing Alvaro Morata to lead the line against Liverpool, flanked by Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leao, with England internationals Fikayo Tomori and Ruben Loftus-Cheek also in the starting XI.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot also selected a front three, with Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Diogo Jota starting, marking Jota’s 150th appearance for the club as he chases his first Champions League goal since November 2021.
(Image: Getty Images)
“Imagine something that you really like to do, and you stay without doing it for one year, how looking forward to it you would be to do it again,” goalkeeper Alisson said the day before the Milan tie.
“That’s the way we feel. Playing the Champions League was one of the reasons that I came here to Europe from Brazil.
“Not being able to play last season was really hard. But here we are again after a really good season qualifying in a really difficult league. We are looking forward to it. Tomorrow is a big chance to prove again and to go back to the good start we had in the season.”