Stefan Bajcetic has been dealt a further blow after being ruled out until the end of the season through injury.
Enjoying an impressive breakout campaign at Anfield, the 18-year-old has been one of Liverpool’s most consistent performers in what has been a disappointing season for the Reds. Handed his debut against AFC Bournemouth back in August, the Spaniard has been a regular starter in 2023.
However, he missed Wednesday’s trip to Real Madrid because of an adductor injury, with the midfielder later confirming he would miss the rest of the season.
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“With Stefan, it is a stress response, which is absolutely bad,” Jurgen Klopp admitted to reporters ahead of facing Real Madrid. “So, he doesn’t feel a lot, it’s only a little bit but he is now out for I don’t know exactly how long.
“We have just to let it settle then and we will see when he can come back. [It’s] high up, around the adductor.”
“Unfortunately I’ve picked up an injury that will keep me out until the end of the season,” Bajcetic later confirmed on Instagram “It’s very sad to say goodbye to this amazing season for me but I understand this is part of football and will only make me stronger physically and mentally.
“I would also like to say thank you to you reds for all the support through the season and I assure you I will do my best to be back stronger than ever.”
Coming on the eve of the March international break, the setback is even more ill-timed for the teenager. While reports in his homeland last month had suggested he was in line for a senior Spain call-up, Under-21s manager Santi Denia, who worked with the youngster at Under-19s level, has confirmed that he was set to hand the midfielder, who is also still eligible to represent Serbia, a maiden call-up.
“He was on the pre-list. He has had a problem and was going to enter,” he confirmed. “He is an important player. He has been tracked.”
While Bajcetic has confirmed he is out until the end of the season, it remains to be seen how long the midfielder will actually be out of action. As a result, he potentially faces a race against time to recover in time to feature at this summer’s Uefa European Under-21 Championships in Romania and Georgia.
Based on performances this season, the teenager would have been more than deserving of such a call-up. After all, his would-be call-up this month would have been with one eye on the summer tournament after Spain were drawn in Group B along with Romania, Ukraine, and Croatia.
If Bajcetic recovers in time, he wouldn’t be the only Liverpool player who could be involved in this summer’s Under-21s European Championships. Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott are both regulars for England Under-21s, while Tyler Morton was handed a maiden call-up earlier in the season.
Meanwhile, Sepp van den Berg and Vitezslav Jaros could represent the Netherlands and Czech Republic respectively. However, it remains unclear if Fabio Carvalho, who is still eligible for England, could be involved after withdrawing from international selection for Portugal Under-21s last year.
With the summer tournament taking place between June 21 and July 8, any selected Liverpool players are likely to miss the start of pre-season with Jurgen Klopp’s side.
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