Rafa Benitez’s Olympic headache worsened today after Lucas became the second Liverpool player to declare his intention to take part in this summer's Beijing Games.
The Reds’ Brazilian midfielder has followed in the footsteps of Argentinian team-mate Javier Mascherano by confirming that he is determined to play for his country in the Olympics.
With the tournament taking place between August 8-24, Benitez will be left short of midfield cover at the start of the new season should both players get their wish.
And the situation is made even more impractical for Liverpool by the fact that should they be selected to represent their respective countries, both Lucas and Mascherano would be required to take part in training camps for a fortnight before the Olympics begin.
That would cause severe disruption to Benitez’s pre-season planning and leave the Liverpool boss with only two senior central midfielders to choose from in Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, although they will be supplemented by Gareth Barry should the Reds’ pursuit of Aston Villa’s England star prove successful.
But Lucas insists he has to answer his country’s call – even though it would result in him missing out on Premiership games and a Champions League qualifier for Liverpool.
“Hopefully I will be picked,” he said. “That would mean I would start the pre-season here with Liverpool and then later on I would go to the Olympics.
“I need to wait for the squad to be picked but hopefully I will go.
“I know that would mean me missing some games for Liverpool and that is not good, but when you talk about your country you always want to play for them.
“And for Brazil the Olympics is like the World Cup because Brazil has never won the gold medal.
“It is also important for my future as an international player because the World Cup qualifiers are coming up and obviously I would like to be in the squad for those.
“So now I need to think about the Olympics and I will speak with Rafa about this.”
Meanwhile, speculation linking Liverpool with a move for Barcelona left back Eric Abidal is wide of the mark.
Benitez is in the market for a new left back with John Arne Riise likely to depart Anfield during the summer but Abidal is not on his shortlist and has not been watched by Liverpool’s scouts.
The Reds’ Brazilian midfielder has followed in the footsteps of Argentinian team-mate Javier Mascherano by confirming that he is determined to play for his country in the Olympics.
With the tournament taking place between August 8-24, Benitez will be left short of midfield cover at the start of the new season should both players get their wish.
And the situation is made even more impractical for Liverpool by the fact that should they be selected to represent their respective countries, both Lucas and Mascherano would be required to take part in training camps for a fortnight before the Olympics begin.
That would cause severe disruption to Benitez’s pre-season planning and leave the Liverpool boss with only two senior central midfielders to choose from in Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, although they will be supplemented by Gareth Barry should the Reds’ pursuit of Aston Villa’s England star prove successful.
But Lucas insists he has to answer his country’s call – even though it would result in him missing out on Premiership games and a Champions League qualifier for Liverpool.
“Hopefully I will be picked,” he said. “That would mean I would start the pre-season here with Liverpool and then later on I would go to the Olympics.
“I need to wait for the squad to be picked but hopefully I will go.
“I know that would mean me missing some games for Liverpool and that is not good, but when you talk about your country you always want to play for them.
“And for Brazil the Olympics is like the World Cup because Brazil has never won the gold medal.
“It is also important for my future as an international player because the World Cup qualifiers are coming up and obviously I would like to be in the squad for those.
“So now I need to think about the Olympics and I will speak with Rafa about this.”
Meanwhile, speculation linking Liverpool with a move for Barcelona left back Eric Abidal is wide of the mark.
Benitez is in the market for a new left back with John Arne Riise likely to depart Anfield during the summer but Abidal is not on his shortlist and has not been watched by Liverpool’s scouts.
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