Baros offers Smicer sympathy

Smicer, heralded and derided in equal measure by the Anfield faithful, will be sorely missed by a Liverpool side worrying short of attacking options after suffering knee-ligament damage that is expected to keep him out of action for up to six-months.

With this latest injury taking the Czech playmaker well into the final year of his contract, Smicer's hopes of remaining at Anfield long-term have now been placed in serious doubt.

International colleague Baros knows only too well how his good friend will be feeling after missing six months of the last campaign with a broken ankle, but he insists that Smicer can return from this set-back.

"It is tough for Vladimir and I know him very well. But he is a strong guy and will come back from this, I am confident of that."