Villarreal Without Nicolas Pepe for Liverpool Due to Unusual Injury

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Villarreal will be without key attacker Nicolas Pepe for their Champions League clash with Liverpool on Tuesday night.

Villarreal will be without a key player for their Champions League clash with Liverpool on Tuesday night, but another will return. The Yellow Submarine will remain without Nicolas Pepe due to an unusual injury, while Tajon Buchanan will provide a timely boost to Iñigo Pérez's front line.

The Castellón side picked up their first Champions League win of the season - and in four years - last week when they came from behind to defeat Napoli at home. That followed a defeat to Borussia Dortmund in their opener, and with winnable games on their fixture list, they will fancy their chances of progressing to the next stage.

But their next game is one of their trickiest, facing Liverpool at Anfield, a stadium that has not been kind to Spanish clubs in recent years. In the last five years, Liverpool have won six of their last seven at home against Spanish opposition, with Real Madrid the only side to get the better of them on Merseyside, in 2023.

Villarreal last travelled to Anfield in 2022 when the two clubs faced off in the Champions League semi-finals, and the Reds won 2-0 in that first leg. The Yellow Submarine rallied back to 2-2 early in the second leg and even hit the post before Liverpool rallied back to win 3-2 on the night and 5-2 overall.

A lot has changed since then, and heading into Tuesday night's game, both sides will be frustrated with how they have started the season. Liverpool have some injury issues, but they will still be disappointed to be fifth in the table, most recently beating Brentford away from home over the weekend.

Villarreal drew 0-0 with Elche in a frustrating home clash that saw them miss chances aplenty, and they are 12th having struggled to get to grips with the style of play under new boss Perez.

Liverpool's record vs Villarreal

- 28 Apr 2016 Villarreal v Liverpool L 1-0 UEFA Europa League

- 05 May 2016 Liverpool v Villarreal W 3-0 UEFA Europa League

- 27 Apr 2022 Liverpool v Villarreal W 2-0 UEFA Champions League

- 03 May 2022 Villarreal v Liverpool W 2-3 UEFA Champions League

Although they have looked better in the Champions League, and they will be hoping to kickstart their season with a famous win at Anfield on Tuesday night. They won't be helped, however, by the absence of winger Pepe, who has been excellent since arriving at the club on a free transfer a couple of years ago. Pepe had an operation on his eye and is yet to return to group training.

But another pacey winger in Tajon Buchanan looks set to be available despite missing the last couple of weeks with a muscular issue. The Canadian trained with his teammates on Monday and is expected to be available in some capacity on Tuesday night.

The youngster has been a bad signing for Liverpool

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