There were just 51 minutes on the clock when Thiago Alcantara was forced to limp off in Liverpool’s Premier League opener away at Fulham. Suffering a suspected hamstring injury, the Spaniard cut a frustrated figure on the pitch as he received treatment before conceding defeat as his afternoon came to an end.
Such setbacks have been a recurring theme for the Spaniard throughout his career, long before his £20m move to Merseyside in the summer of 2020. His injury record had been a concern at Bayern Munich but when the Reds were presented with the opportunity to sign a genuine world class performer for a cut-price fee, it was one they couldn’t say no to.
According to Transfermarkt, the midfielder has missed 44 matches through injury or illness over the past two seasons, equating to 193 days on the sidelines. Missing 14 Premier League matches in his first year at Anfield before another 13 in his second campaign, he has only ever once reached 30 league appearances in a league season throughout his career.
