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Revealed: What really happened between Jurgen Klopp and Xherdan Shaqiri immediate aftermath of Liverpool’s loss to Chelsea
Jurgen Klopp was left furious with Xherdan Shaqiri at full-time following Liverpool’s defeat to Chelsea and was spotted shouting at the winger on the pitch.
The German was clearly agitated by something his summer signing had done and angrily gestured at the Swiss ace.
To add further fuel to Klopp’s rage, Eden Hazard had struck an awesome winner just moments earlier as Chelsea came from a goal down to knock Liverpool out of the Carabao Cup.
Klopp’s actions were spotted by many viewers who took to Twitter asking why he was so angry.
The Liverpool boss soon explained his actions in his post-match press conference.
Klopp revealed he was angry because Shaqiri let Jordan Hendseron take a free-kick in a threatening position in the last minute of the game.
The 28-year-old attempted to dink the ball over the wall for his team-mates to attack but ended up over-hitting the set-piece and wasting Liverpool’s last chance of the game.
The Liverpool boss wanted Shaqiri to take the free-kick so he could play in Mohamed Salah from wide and was left incensed by his decision making.
Klopp’s exchange with the 26-year-old ended in a particularly frosty manner.
What Klopp said to Xherdan Shaqiri after Liverpool’s Carabao Cup exit
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed his disagreement with Xherdan Shaqiri was over a late free-kick.
Liverpool were dumped out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night after a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Anfield.
After the final whistle, TV cameras showed a visibly frustrated Klopp disagreeing with Shaqiri on the pitch, reports the Liverpool Echo.
And the Reds boss has revealed he was discussing an injury-time free-kick he believed could have been played differently as his side pressed for an equaliser.
“I spoke about a free-kick – the last one,” said Klopp. “Mo was standing wide and a whole bunch of players were in one the direction where we shot the ball.
“If he could have played in Mo on a one-on-one situation in the last minute of the game it would have been not too bad. It was only about the free-kick, nothing else.
“But at 1-0, Shaq was completely alone in the box and maybe you will have to ask him why he didn’t shoot in that situation.”
After a poor first-half display, Liverpool – sporting eight changes from the team that beat Southampton at the weekend – went ahead through Daniel Sturridge’s 58th-minute volley.
Sturridge had earlier missed a glorious chance, and the Reds were made to pay for other spurned opportunities when Emerson and substitute Eden Hazard struck for Chelsea in the final 11 minutes.
“We had the chances, of course,” said Klopp. “It was a difficult game for both sides, for us unfortunately because I have said before we have a specific style of play and you need to get used to it.
“Minute by minute, we get more used to it. Even at the start when we left too many spaces and they could play between the lines, we already had bigger chances.
“We weren’t really a big threat but the more and we got used to it, the first half was good. The second half started well, we scored the goal and could have scored before.
“We played much calmer football which we could have done first half. Against such a dominant side like Chelsea, in the moment you have then ball then you need to dominate them.”
Summer signing Fabinho made his full Liverpool debut, while Simon Mignolet, Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno and Nathaniel Clyne were all handed their first starts of the campaign.
And Klopp said: “We had five players on the pitch with their first start of the whole season. I am really happy that they had the game now they are really back.
They got the rhythm in the game. We learned during the game and controlled it much better.
“We were 1-0 up, could have scored a second, hit the crossbar, but then they scored the goal after the free-kick which was unlucky as the foul and the goal weren’t clear.
“(After the equaliser) Chelsea had the momentum in the game but I don’t think we showed a bad reaction.
“But then Eden Hazard came in and scored a wonderful goal. Hazard was on the run but of course we could have defended it better.
“It was really quick and in the box, Eden Hazard, full speed, it’s not easy. That’s how it is and we didn’t have enough time to strike back.”
Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gini Wijnaldum and Andy Robertson were not in the matchday squad and Klopp said: “A couple of the players who were not involved are not 100% fit.”
The Chairman of Agbele Sporting, Hon. Ponmile Omidiji, has rejoiced with and extended warm felicitations to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Remo Stars Football Club, Hon. Kunle Soname, on the occasion of his birthday.
This was contained in a statement personally signed by Omidiji and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday.
The statement reads: “It is my greatest pleasure to felicitate with you, the man of the masses and a philanthropist par excellence, on your day of birth.
“You are a morale booster and a great motivator to this generation. You always utilise any position you occupy for the benefit of others. Indubitably, you are a good man and worthy of emulation,” he added.
Omidiji also seized the opportunity to commend Hon. Soname’s contributions and tireless efforts towards the development of football in Nigeria and beyond, noting that such commitment is truly appreciated.
He offered heartfelt prayers for the celebrant, praying that Almighty God would continue to bless and protect him, that God’s grace would abound in his life, and that all his concerns would be firmly in God’s hands. He further wished that the world would always be kind to him.
Christian Chukwu, former captain and head coach of Nigeria’s national football team, the Super Eagles, has died at the age of 74.
The football icon passed away in the early hours of Saturday, though the exact circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear at the time of reporting.
The news of his demise was confirmed by his longtime friend and teammate, Chief Olusegun Odegbami, who spoke to Channels Television. Odegbami, who played alongside Chukwu in Nigeria’s triumphant 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad, expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
“I just received the news that between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, ‘Chairman’ Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s history, has passed on,” said Odegbami.
“Babuje, Emmanuel Okala, MON, gave me the sad news a few minutes ago. May ‘Onyim’ find peace with Our Creator in Heaven and console his family,” he added.
Born on 4 January 1951 in Enugu, Chukwu carved a legendary career in Nigerian football, notably captaining Enugu Rangers to numerous domestic triumphs and leading them to continental glory in 1977 with victory in the now-defunct African Cup Winners’ Cup.
He made history in 1980 as the first Nigerian captain to lift the African Nations Cup trophy following a 3–0 win over Algeria in the final held in Lagos.
Chukwu went on to contribute to Nigeria’s football success off the pitch, serving as assistant to Dutch tactician Clemens Westerhof during the Super Eagles’ victorious 1994 AFCON campaign and their debut appearance at the FIFA World Cup the same year.
As head coach, Chukwu led the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia. His tenure as national coach lasted from 2002 to 2005, ending during the qualification phase for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
Nicknamed “Chairman” for his commanding presence on and off the pitch, Chukwu also played a role in Nigeria’s youth football development, working as assistant coach during the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Cup, which Nigeria won in China.
In 2019, he battled prostate cancer, which affected his mobility. A public appeal for support was launched, and Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola stepped in to cover his overseas medical expenses, reportedly donating $50,000 for his treatment.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford was unable to see football “the way I see it” before the unwanted England striker was shipped out of Old Trafford.
The 27-year-old Rashford fell dramatically out of favour with the Portuguese boss and spent seven weeks on the sidelines until he was loaned to Premier League rivals Aston Villa during the transfer window.
“I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said on Thursday.
“And sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different.
“I just wish the best to Rashford and to (Aston Villa coach) Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.”
Amorim, whose team face Leicester in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, said his focus now is on turning around a wretched season.
“Guys, in the summer… like we said before, we are fighting for our jobs until the summer,” he said.
“So, I am just focused on these games. Thankfully about Marcus he is in Birmingham now with Unai, so you can take these questions to another coach. We are just focused on our players at the moment.”
