Jurgen Klopp gives new detail on Luis Diaz injury and…

Jurgen Klopp gives new detail on Luis Diaz injury and next 'plan' for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp says Luis Diaz's injury setback is a "proper smash in the face" as Liverpool get set for another spell without the influential winger.

Diaz has not played for the Reds since the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal in early October after suffering a knee injury, but was poised to return in the mid-season friendly fixtures in Dubai before he suffered another setback on Friday.

Reports in Diaz's native Colombia have claimed he will need surgery and be absent until March and any prolonged absence will be a major blow for a player who has shone since his £37m switch from Porto at the end of the January transfer window.

MATCH RECAP: How Liverpool's game and penalties against Lyon in the Dubai Super Cup unfolded

"He is not in the best possible place [mentally], that is clear," Klopp said after his side's 3-1 loss to Lyon in the Dubai Super Cup on Sunday. "It was a big disappointment for all of us and him as well. It was a nothing situation in training, honestly.

"And he felt something, he didn't feel it a lot the next day but we wanted to be really cautious. So we said: 'come on, let's have a proper look' and then the news came which was a proper smash in the face, but that's it now."

Klopp was speaking after his team were beaten by Lyon at the Al Maktoum Stadium, where they will also meet AC Milan on Friday. The Reds boss is looking to use their time in the Emirates to hit the ground running when the domestic action returns later this month with a Carabao Cup trip to Manchester City.

Klopp added: "The plan is we want to chase it and really be ready immediately, that's why we have to use this time now again to train and give the boys proper intensity in training, which again is why I am really happy with big parts of the first half, knowing that it was in the right direction.

"That was not always the case with the summer games. I saw a lot of things tonight that I wanted to see and I am positive but of course we play some tough, tough teams to come.

"We start against Manchester City and then we play against Aston Villa and they still have a new manager, so they will be highly energised. That's all clear, we know that. But we want to be the most difficult team to play against and it's up to us to be that.

"The start of the game was really good from us, I liked it a lot. Some parts in the first half, I saw what we have been working on in the training ground so far. We were really aggressive, well connected, could have scored another goal but we conceded with a misunderstanding between Robbo (Andy Robertson) and Caoimh Kelleher.

"That was not cool but it can happen. In the second half we had to change a lot and we realised 60 minutes was the maximum anyone can play. We were really young with the changes and not very organised any more. Every time we lost the ball it ended up in front of our goal every time.

"Every ball we lost was a big chance on the counter and that, of course, is not how it should look. But that's a learning curve and we will use this to learn from."

READ NEXT:

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here