Liverpool - News

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is now speaking to the media and begins with an update on whether Luis Diaz will return: "We just wait to see where we can pick the boy up from and go from there.
"It's all about him, that he makes himself available or not, and I don't want to force anything."
"We will not force the Luis [Diaz] situation. It's out of our hands, we are just waiting for good news.
"He was in training two days ago, yesterday he did a session, and he will be part of the team.
"If he feels right, he will train with us. When he's with the boys he's fine but you can tell he hasn't slept a lot. We will wait to see how he is and go from there.
"The news - I didn't personally get from Colombia, I always get it forwarded - but everything that gives us a bit of hope is good. We are waiting for really good news."

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Liverpool forward's father 'kidnapped by rebels' - By Vanessa Buschschlüter..BBC News Online Latin America editor
The Colombian government says that the father of Liverpool footballer Luis Diaz was kidnapped by left-wing rebels of the National Liberation Army (ELN).
Luis Manuel Diaz was seized at gunpoint along with his wife on Saturday. The player's mother was left behind in a car by the kidnappers as police closed in, but the gunmen dragged away his father.
Hundreds of police and soldiers have been deployed to free him.
Police had originally said that a criminal gang was most likely to blame.
But on Thursday, a government delegation which is currently engaged in peace talks with the rebel group, said that it had "official knowledge" that the kidnapping had been carried out by "a unit belonging to the ELN".
A representative of the group has reportedly said the group will free Díaz's father in the coming days.

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"Every second, every minute our anxiety grows," Luis Diaz, 26, as he begged for his father's kidnappers to free him immediately and "end this painful wait" in a statement released shortly after scoring a late equaliser for Liverpool at Luton on Sunday.
"My mother, my brothers and I are desperate, anxious and have no words to describe what we are feeling. This suffering will only end when we have him home with us.
"I beg that they free him immediately, respecting his integrity and ending this painful wait. In the name of love and compassion we ask they reconsider their actions and allow us to have him back."
Both of Díaz's parents were seized at gunpoint in his hometown of Barrancas, Colombia, by left-wing guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on 28th October.
While his mother was found, his father is still missing.

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"The right person in the stadium scored the equaliser and that was wonderful," said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
"We wait desperately for news from Colombia. The information he gets are rather positive but it is not done - the one information we didn't get yet.
"He decided he wants to be around us again because he needs that distraction because he can't do anything. The only lift you can get in this moment is the real news."


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We asked for your views on Sunday's game between Luton Town and Liverpool.

Here are some of your comments:

Liverpool fans

Daniel: One of the worst performances I’ve seen this season. We were completely lacklustre and underestimated a very well executed Luton side. Anybody who goes back to watch it would believe Luton were the better side in this game, and they were. Luis Diaz, you absolute hero!

Josh: This is the difference between us and Manchester City over the past few years. Erling Haaland and co would have put four or five past Luton. We just aren't clinical enough in and around the box. Darwin Nunez has so much potential but he needs to improve his first touch and his finishing. Trent Alexander-Arnold needs to decide if he's a midfielder or a right-back because currently he's being found missing.

Glen: Lacklustre performance and gave away the ball countless times. No width and squandered two good opportunities to score. Fair play to Luton, who deserved their point, for sure.

Matt: That was dreadful. To go from last weekend's competent, professional performance [in the win over Nottingham Forest] to Sunday's sloppy, wasteful display is both baffling and frustrating. Somebody really needs to point out to Nunez that he's paid to put the round thing between the two vertical sticks and below the horizontal one. The miss was abysmal. Not good enough. At all.

GOOD NEWS: Footballer Luis Díaz's father freed by Colombian guerrillas..By Robert Plummer, BBC News.

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This is the first image of Luis Manuel Diaz (centre), the father of Liverpool's Luis Diaz, after he was rescued following his kidnapping back on October 28th

Colombian-born Liverpool footballer Luis Díaz's father has been released by the left-wing guerrillas who kidnapped him 13 days ago, police sources and local media say.

Luis Manuel Díaz was handed over to United Nations and Catholic church officials by members of the National Liberation Army (ELN).

He was abducted on 28th October in the family's hometown, Barrancas.

The footballer's mother was also seized, but was freed within hours.

Local media said Mr Díaz had travelled by military helicopter to the city of Valledupar, where he would undergo a medical examination before being returned to his family.

They also quoted authorities as saying that he was in a good state of health, with no signs of mistreatment.

According to El Tiempo newspaper, there were tearful scenes in the neighbourhood where the couple lived, with family members taking to their cars to drive through the streets in celebration.

Most of them were dressed in Liverpool team shirts bearing the number 23 and Luis Díaz's name.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told TNT Sports that the footballer was "really happy".

"We are delighted by the news of [Luis Díaz's] father's safe return and we thank all those involved in securing his release," the club said on Twitter.

Luis Alfonso Díaz, a cousin of the footballer's father, told Caracol Radio that it was "emotional" to learn that he had been freed "after so many days of sadness".

"We feel a great satisfaction, we are glad that it's come to an end," he added.

President Gustavo Petro reacted on X, formerly Twitter, with the message: "Long live Freedom and Peace."

The Colombian Football Federation issued a statement thanking all those responsible for Luis Manuel Díaz's release, including the government, the military and the police.

It added: "Football is passion in peace. Let no-one ever think of attacking that reality again."

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Luis Diaz's father Luis Manuel had been missing since he was abducted last month

On the day of the kidnap attack, the couple was accosted by the gunmen as they had stopped at a petrol station in Barrancas, in the northern province of La Guajira.

The kidnappers later abandoned Luis Díaz's mother, Cilenis Marulanda, in a car as police closed in, but dragged away his father.

Police originally said that a criminal gang was most likely to blame.

But a government delegation - which is currently engaged in peace talks with the rebel group - later said that it had "official knowledge" that the kidnapping had been carried out by "a unit belonging to the ELN".

The ELN is Colombia's main remaining active guerrilla group. It has been fighting the state since 1964 and has an estimated 2,500 members.

It is most active in the border region with Venezuela, where Luis Manuel Díaz and his wife live.

The kidnapping caused outrage in Colombia, where Luis Díaz - who is part of Colombia's national team - is immensely popular.

His Liverpool team has also shown its unwavering support. Díaz scored a goal against Luton Town on Sunday, lifting his shirt to reveal the words in Spanish "freedom for papa".

"Every second, every minute our anxiety grows," Díaz, 26, said in a statement released shortly after the match in England's Premier League.


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Toulouse 3-2 Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp angered by 'chaotic' performance - and media conference..By Emma Smith, BBC Sport.

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Kostas Tsimikas was caught in possession by Aron Donnum, who went on to score the opener for Toulouse

Attempting to conduct his post-match interview in a media tent outside Stadium de Toulouse, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was annoyed by the noise of the home fans.

"We were as organised as this press conference - pretty chaotic," said a visibly angry Klopp, as Toulouse supporters chanted and banged on the tent.

The bedlam left Klopp struggling to hear questions or translations from the interpreter, after Uefa allowed the media conference to take place outside the ground.

It provided a fitting coda to a deeply infuriating evening for Klopp, who had seen his Liverpool side stunned in Toulouse.

Just two weeks after a thumping 5-1 win at Anfield over a side just one point above the Ligue 1 relegation play-off place, the Reds produced a subpar performance in a 3-2 defeat.

While Liverpool were left aggrieved by a late Jarell Quansah equaliser being disallowed for handball following a lengthy and confusing VAR check, Klopp said the primary reason for the loss was their own performance.

"We were not aggressive enough," he said. "We gave balls easily away. Real mistakes.

"With all the possession you have obviously you should create more but you cannot concede three goals here, that makes no sense.

"They fought harder and it was deserved. Congratulations to Toulouse.

"You can play as good as you want but if you don't win decisive battles you have no chance in football."

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Despite making nine changes to the team which started the draw at Luton Town in the Premier League on Sunday, Liverpool's XI featured plenty of first-team strength - including Luis Diaz, starting his first match following the release of his father by kidnappers in Colombia.

Liverpool's bench was particularly eye-catching. Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold all came on at half-time - but made little impact.

Darwin Nunez was introduced when the visitors pulled the score back to 2-1, while Diogo Jota was thrown on with 10 minutes of normal time to play, and found the net to make it 3-2.

Yet even a point would have flattered Liverpool, for whom the defeat could have been even worse had Thijs Dallinga not had two goals ruled out for a foul and offside respectively.

Liverpool lacked flow and created few clear-cut chances until the frantic final minutes.

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Jarell Quansah appeared to have snatched a 97th-minute equaliser for Liverpool - only for VAR to intervene

The peak of the chaos came seven minutes into stoppage time when Toulouse failed on multiple occasions to clear their lines, allowing young centre half Quansah to seemingly slam home his first senior goal.

But several phases earlier in the move, the ball had ricocheted off Alexis Mac Allister's chest into his arm.

Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov had already pointed to the centre circle, seemingly indicating 'check complete' - but then was called to the VAR screen, and subsequently disallowed the goal.

"I only saw the video back now and for me it's not a handball - but how can I decide that?" said Klopp.

Former Liverpool players were angered, including Steve McManaman on television co-commentary, while Sky pundit Jamie Carragher reposted his own comment on X from Wednesday night, describing VAR as a "disgrace".

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We asked you to have your say on Liverpool's 3-2 defeat by Toulouse in the Europa League.

Here are a selection of your comments:

John: I'm beginning to wonder if some players turn up thinking a game against 'lesser' teams is a gimme. Let's hope this is a wake-up call to always be ruthless.

Stu: Jurgen Klopp needs to stop rotating the squad for matches like this. It's different if we had qualified but we hadn't. Poor performance, we were left chasing the game - not good enough.

Paul: We got what we deserved tonight, whether the VAR decision was wrong or right. The lack of decent squad depth is catching up with us, and some players need to be sold, including some of the new boys. Endo and Mac Allister very disappointing, and Trent Alexander-Arnold has regressed badly. Another trophy-less season coming up.

James: I thought it couldn't get any worse than the Luton game, but Liverpool just didn't turn up again. Credit to the opposition. We can blame VAR but the game was already lost. We need to respect our opponents and not think we can roll over these so called smaller teams. There are no easy games in football.

VT: Tonight was poor all round. Tsimikas and Matip are simply not good enough and Gakpo is not at the level required. Slow, predictive football with no cohesion whatsoever, but that happens with 10 changes each week. Didn't deserve the equaliser, but that doesn't defend poor officiating to re-referee games from three phases prior.

Ran the line many times at Anfield.Steve Mc Mahon and Ronnie Whelan and KD I think it is here v Man U. Liverpool scored 4 at Mr Ferguson was very cross in our changing room after the game!!!

Liverpool 3-0 Brentford: What Jurgen Klopp said:

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp speaking to BBC MOTD: "More than 20 years ago when I started my career, I wanted to create a team that nobody wants to play against and we faced that team today.

"It's crazy! This spell where they had six corners in a row I thought 'oh god.' But we defended with so much passion in the moment. The goals we scored were fantastic.

"Top goals, top performances. Darwin Nunez's work rate for example was second to none. The boys were there for second balls. It was a difficult game against a top opponent so I'm really happy with the performance and the result.

"The squad is a really good squad. The kids who were on the bench today enjoyed it a lot. James McConnell came on and obviously he really enjoyed it too! A good day.

"Wataru Endo's performance was top. He saved our lives in many moments and was super disciplined. So many good moments. The wind made life difficult and they pressed so there were tricky moments but he was really good.

"Actually, [the Man City game is] not what I'm thinking about. These boys who played today need recovery, I hope they get that before games with their countries and hopefully they come back healthy then we can try [against Manchester City]. It's about reacting [to defeats] and the reaction today was great."

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Liverpool and Tottenham will have to pay up to £30m for Bournemouth's English defender Lloyd Kelly, 25, in the January transfer window.

Liverpool have sent scouts to Leeds on multiple occasions to follow 17-year-old English midfielder Archie Gray.