ZCZC
BSP-19
FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-LOVREN
Lovren ruled out of Liverpool’s Club World Cup trip
LONDON, Dec 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Dejan Lovren has been ruled out of
Liverpool’s trip to the Club World Cup, but Georginio Wijnaldum will travel
with the Reds squad for the tournament in Qatar.
Croatian defender Lovren will miss out as a result of the hamstring
problem he suffered during Tuesday’s Champions League victory in Salzburg.
But Dutch midfielder Wijnaldum, who appeared to suffer a hamstring injury
in the Premier League leaders’ 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday, was named
among the 20-man party which flew out on Sunday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side enter the Club World Cup at the semi-final stage on
Wednesday, with Mexican side Monterrey their opponents in Doha.
A statement on Liverpool’s official website confirmed Lovren’s omission
and Wijnaldum’s inclusion.
Resources are already stretched thinly with a youth team set to play a
League Cup quarter-final at Aston Villa on Tuesday, and Fabinho (ankle) and
Joel Matip (knee) ruled out of games in the Middle East.
“With the Gini injury, Dejan three or four days ago, our squad is not
getting bigger. That is not cool,” Klopp said.
“But that is the same problem if we go to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup
quarter-final.”
Speaking before the squad was named, Klopp added on Wijnaldum’s injury:
“It is a muscle thing and you never want that for a player. In these moments
it immediately makes it more difficult.”
The Dutchman’s injury was the only cloud on a day when Mohamed Salah took
his tally to four goals in his last three matches, and 13 for the season,
with a brilliant double against Watford.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1920HRS