LONDON: Jurgen Klopp insisted his players have been “incredibly disciplined” with coronavirus restrictions despite Mohamed Salah testing positive after attending his brother’s wedding in Egypt.
Salah was pictured dancing at the celebration without a mask on while back in his homeland during the international break.
Klopp confirmed Liverpool’s top scorer this season is asymptomatic and could return to England on Friday, but Salah will miss Sunday’s Premier League clash against Leicester.
“He is probably back today, that’s what I’ve heard. We are in close contact with him all of the time,” said Klopp.
“At the moment he is in a good place, he feels well, no symptoms, that’s all fine.”
Klopp said he had to resist the temptation to attend a birthday party when home in Germany over the summer and understands why Salah had to attend the wedding.
“In other countries, in other situations, there is more social pressure on you and a brother’s wedding is a very special moment,” he added.
“What I can say about my players is they are incredibly disciplined. Football players in general were incredibly disciplined.
“There were some cases of course, but they really know about the situation.”
Salah’s absence is just the latest blow for Klopp as he tries to patch together a team to face top-of-the-table Leicester.
Liverpool’s defense has been decimated by injury with center-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez expected to miss the rest of the season with serious knee injuries.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be out for another two weeks due to a calf problem, while captain Jordan Henderson will also miss Sunday’s clash due to a muscle problem.
“There is no season when you have no problem with injuries,” said Klopp.
“In our situation it is slightly different where a lot of players in the same position get injured and seriously injured, that makes it tricky, but no one feels any kind of self-pity or feels sorry for ourselves.
“As long as we have 11 players available we will fight for the three points and we will.
“We have the situation we have. We don’t like it because it’s really hard for the boys that have the injuries but the rest is about working on solutions.
“Whoever deals best with the problems in front of them has the chance to be really successful.”
Klopp sympathetic over ‘social pressure’ on Salah
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Klopp sympathetic over ‘social pressure’ on Salah
- Jurgen Klopp’s squad ravaged by injury as Premier League returns after the international break
Last-gasp Lukaku saves Napoli’s blushes at rock-bottom Verona
- Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to give third-placed Napoli all three points
- He gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing
MILAN: Romelu Lukaku kept Napoli on course for a Champions League spot with a last-gasp winner in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over rock-bottom Verona, the Belgium forward’s first goal of the season.
Lukaku forced home Giovane’s cross to give third-placed Napoli all three points with the last kick of the game at the Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi.
Napoli had looked like dropping points in northern Italy when Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro levelled Rasmus Hojlund’s early opener in the 65th minute.
But Lukaku, who only played his first game of the season in late January, gave Napoli a huge win with both Como and Atalanta pushing for a top-four placing.
However Napoli’s title defense is all but over as they trail runaway league leaders Inter Milan, who host Genoa in Saturday’s late match, by 11 points after an injury-ravaged season.
Napoli were missing key midfielders Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Andre-Frank Anguissa on Saturday, as well as captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.
Verona, under interim coach Paolo Sammarco following the sacking of Paolo Zanetti earlier this month, are 10 points from safety after a 12th straight match without a win.
Como, who face Inter in the first leg of the Italian Cup semifinals on Tuesday, strolled to 3-1 victory over strugglers Lecce to continue their push for a first-ever qualification for European football.
Cesc Fabregas’s team are two points behind Roma, in fourth and Juventus’ opponents on Sunday, and five behind Napoli.
Star man Nico Paz started on the bench for Como ahead of that clash with Inter, the Argentine starlet coming on midway through the second half with the hosts already two goals to the good.
Como went behind early to a fine Lassana Coulibaly header, but Tasos Douvikas, Jesus Rodriguez and Marc Oliver Kempf all netted before half-time to secure a simple three points.
Como moved two points ahead of sixth-placed Juve who face Roma trying to stay in touch with the Champions League places after being eliminated from Europe’s elite club competition by Galatasaray on Wednesday.
