Champions League final: Liverpool boosted as James Milner and Emre Can return to training

Milner missed the final Premier League game of the season against Brighton with a muscle problem, while fellow midfielder Can has been out since March

Liverpool have been boosted by the news that James Milner and Emre Can both featured in an open training session at Anfield on Monday.

Milner missed the final Premier League game of the season against Brighton with a muscle problem, while fellow midfielder Can has been out since March with a back injury.

The potential availability of both would increase manager Jurgen Klopp's options for Saturday's showpiece against Real Madrid in Kiev.

Joe Gomez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joel Matip have already been ruled out of contention.

Liverpool spent part of last week at a training camp in Marbella, but have now returned to Merseyside before travelling to Ukraine later this week.

The Reds are relishing the prospect of facing Real final but manager Klopp is glad that his duel with counterpart Zinedine Zidane does not have to extend beyond the touchline.

Real are targeting a third successive European club title under former French international Zidane, while Klopp is looking to deliver Liverpool’s sixth continental crown and first since 2005 as the teams prepare to meet in Kiev.

Liverpool trained at Anfield on Monday (AFP)

“I’m glad we’re not playing against each other. Me against him, marking him or whatever... I’m very glad I can send my players onto the pitch,” Klopp said.

“He’s one of the top 10... top five players of all time. And now he’s the coach of Real Madrid, a hugely experienced team on the pitch. That’ll be a nice challenge.”