Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pépé will miss Villarreal’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield as he continues his recovery from eye surgery.
The forward was absent from Villarreal’s team training on Monday and has not yet returned to work alongside his team-mates.
His absence is a setback for the Spanish side as they prepare to face a Liverpool team seeking a third successive victory in the competition.
The Champions League match is scheduled for Tuesday, 20 October 2026, with kick-off listed for 19:00 GMT in the match preview.
Villarreal will travel to England hoping to upset the hosts, despite an inconsistent campaign and the challenge of dealing with injuries to important players.
Pépé has made six La Liga appearances this season, including five starts, scoring two goals. He has also registered 14 shots and delivered 17 crosses, underlining his involvement in Villarreal’s attacking play.
Although his recovery from the eye procedure was initially expected to be relatively short, no definite date has been set for his return.
His continued absence means Villarreal must consider other options on the right flank as they prepare for one of their biggest European tests of the campaign.
Tajon Buchanan is also injured, although his return to full team training could provide the Spanish club with another option on the right side.
Ilias Akhomach may also have an opportunity to benefit from Pépé’s absence.
Liverpool, meanwhile, will be looking to maintain their strong start in Europe and move closer to qualification for the next stage.
The English club have won their opening two Champions League matches and will be aiming to make it three victories in a row in front of their supporters at Anfield.
The fixture carries memories of previous European meetings between the sides. Liverpool and Villarreal have met in continental semi-finals, with the English team overcoming a first-leg deficit to reach the Europa League final in 2016.
Six years later, Liverpool won both legs of their Champions League semi-final against Villarreal before progressing to the final in Paris.
The two teams now meet again, but injuries could influence how the latest encounter unfolds.
Both sides are expected to rely on the strength of their squads as they attempt to manage the absence of key players.
Villarreal have shown that they can compete against leading European opposition.
Their performance against Napoli demonstrated their ability to challenge established sides, giving them reason to believe they can cause problems for Liverpool despite the difficulties they have experienced this season.
Liverpool also enter the match after an important Premier League victory over Brentford. They came from behind to win after quick-fire goals from Víctor Muñoz and Alexander Isak.
Brentford’s Yehor Yarmolyuk was sent off in first-half stoppage time, helping Liverpool in their comeback.
Villarreal’s team selection will be another point of interest, particularly in goal. Iñigo Pérez has rotated his goalkeepers during the season, with summer signing Péter Gulácsi starting six matches and Luiz Júnior beginning five.
It remains unclear who will be selected for the Liverpool fixture.
