Sports
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.”
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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