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Tag: Thiago Alcantara

  • Klopp reveals Thiago Alcantara health update after return to training

    Klopp reveals Thiago Alcantara health update after return to training

    Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara is nearing a return to action though still needs to come through team training unscathed before he can be passed fit to play.

    The Spaniard, a high-profile summer signing from Champions League holders Bayern Munich, has endured a difficult start to his career at Anfield, testing positive for coronavirus back in September and then picking up an injury in the Merseyside derby on his return to action.

    Thiago was on the receiving end of a rash challenge from Everton’s Richarlison in the middle of October, who was shown a red card, and has not played since.

    But he got Liverpool fans very excited when he was pictured on the pitches at the club’s new Kirkby training ground, having finally appeared to have overcome his knee injury.

    While Klopp is encouraged by the 29-year-old’s progress, he says Thiago is yet to take part in training with the rest of the squad and is being cautious with the midfielder, with a January return most likely.

    Asked if Thiago was eager to finally ignite his Liverpool career, Klopp said: ‘He is, he is. We’ve already made jokes here when we said, “I think we should sign Thiago for January”.

    ‘So it gets closer and closer, and it’s a good way, but we will not rush it.

    ‘We cannot rush it, and he will not, because he’s not allowed to rush it. But of course it’s nice.

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    ‘Having him on the pitch, training, doing a lot of stuff. ‘But he was not in team training yet and that’s actually the final step.

    ‘We will see how this weekend looks with him on the [training] pitch and next week can he be in team training? I don’t know in the moment 100%.

    ‘He has to pass a few tests on the training pitch until we make that decision.

    ‘Hopefully that’s not only for him the case, but Milly [James Milner] will be similar, with Shaq [Xherdan Shaqiri] it will be similar.

    ‘Did I forget anyone? If I forgot someone it’s not because I’m disrespectful it’s just a lot of players are injured at the moment!’

  • Jurgen Klopp speaks on Thiago Alcantara’s health after Liverpool’s draw with Everton

    Jurgen Klopp speaks on Thiago Alcantara’s health after Liverpool’s draw with Everton

    Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Thiago Alcantara has suffered an injury following Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Everton on Saturday.

    Thiago was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Richarlison in the second half.

    The Everton forward was given a straight red card for the tackle, while the Liverpool midfielder was able to finish the game after getting treatment.

    But Klopp revealed after the match that Thiago ‘looks not good’ but is unsure over the extent of the midfielder’s injury.

    Thiago could now be an early doubt for Liverpool’s clash against Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

    The Premier League champions could also be without Virgil van Dijk after he was forced off in the first half following a poor challenge by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

    ‘Difficult, difficult in the moment, because you go in the dressing and the red card for Richarlison is not only a red card for Everton it’s a massive foul on Thiago as well,’ Klopp told BT Sport.

    ‘A massive foul, and he lies there now and we don’t know what he has. So it looks not good, to be honest.

    ‘So it’s difficult to only judge the game. The game was brilliant but it’s over, we got one point, should we have had three? Maybe yes, but we cannot change that any more. ‘But that’s the situation.

    I can’t change it.’ Klopp added in his post-match press conference: ‘I leave the pitch and Thiago tells me that in the red card situation with Richarlison he thinks he got injured.

    ‘We will see if it’s true or not. When a player feels like this we’ll immediately have a look.’

  • Thiago Alcantara tests positive for COVID-19

    Thiago Alcantara tests positive for COVID-19 - Liverpool FC

    Thiago Alcantara, Liverpool newly signed midfielder, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is self-isolating based on the necessary guidelines.

    The English champions broke news of the former Bayern Munich midfield maestro’s COVID-19 status.

    The Barcelona youth graduate is one of the ten players previously reported to have contracted the novel coronavirus in the fourth round of tests conducted by the English Premier League (EPL).

    Liverpool disclosed that the 29-year-old, who missed the 3-1 win over Arsenal, has gone into self-isolation, while both club and player would continue to adhere to safety guidelines.

    “Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently self-isolating according to the necessary guidelines,” the club wrote.

    “The 29-year-old, who missed Monday’s match against Arsenal, has exhibited minor symptoms of the virus but is in good health and is getting better.

    “The club has, and will continue to follow, all protocols relating to COVID-19 and Thiago will remain in self-isolation for the required period of time.”

    Alcantara joined Liverpool earlier this month for a deal worth £25 million and made his debut as a substitute in the Anfield club’s 2-0 win at Chelsea.

  • How Jurgen Klopp convinced Thiago to join Liverpool ahead of Barcelona

    How Jurgen Klopp convinced Thiago to join Liverpool ahead of Barcelona

    By Chika Ngozi

    Thiago Alcantara turned down the chance to re-join Barcelona this summer while Jurgen Klopp played a vital role in convincing the midfielder to move to Liverpool, according to reports in Spain.

    The 29-year-old completed his £25 million move from Bayern Munich last week and impressed during his 45-minute debut as Liverpool sealed a 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday.

    According to Cadena SER, Barcelona attempted to re-sign Thiago and the Spanish club’s director, Javier Bordas, personally met with the midfielder this summer in an attempt to persuade him to return to Camp Nou.

    The report claims that Thiago listened to Barcelona’s proposal but by that time he had already made up his mind and was intent on joining Liverpool.

    Barcelona also struggled to meet Bayern’s asking price and were only willing to offer €10m (£9.1m). Cadena SER report that Klopp had held multiple talks with Thiago and claim that the German’s promise of further success in Europe helped convince the midfielder that Anfield would be his best destination.

    Klopp reportedly told Thiago that if he wanted to win another Bundesliga title he should remain at Bayern, but if he wanted to win the Champions League again he should make the move to Liverpool.

    Klopp also told Thiago that he would play a key role in Liverpool’s midfield and he is a player that is needed at Anfield.

    Speaking after Thiago’s impressive debut against Chelsea on Sunday, Klopp said: ‘It was top timing I would say, in a game like this. ‘He [Thiago] trained, he had eight days off, he played with Spain, he trained with Munich, he’s fit, that’s not the main problem.

    ‘But of course he’s not used to our things, that’s clear. ‘They [Bayern] played a different system, they played slightly different that’s how it is, that’s how football is, you have to get used to your mates next to you. ‘

    But then when they had one man down it was pretty much the perfect game. ‘And Hendo [Jordan Henderson] felt a little bit, we had to react and we decided to bring him on.

    ‘Yeah, I liked it, I liked the game a lot. ‘Defensively it was tricky for him because we set it up differently but offensively with the ball, yeah, that’s him. He wants to pass the ball.’

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  • What van Dijk said about Thiago’s transfer to Liverpool

    What van Dijk said about Thiago’s transfer to Liverpool

    Thiago Alcantara’s looming transfer to Liverpool appears to have got the Virgil van Dijk seal of approval, with the defender ‘liking’ a tweet claiming the midfielder is Anfield-bound.

    The Premier League champions have been trying to sign Thiago for much of the summer, though Bayern Munich would not budge from their €30million (£27m) valuation.

    Liverpool wanted to pay closer to £18m at first, with minor concerns over Thiago’s age and injury record, while he only had one year left on his contract with the Bavarians.

    There are some conflicting reports over the fee, though, with The Times claiming Liverpool will only pay £20m up front plus a further £5m in performance-related bonuses. Thiago’s signing has got Liverpool fans very excited indeed, providing a more creative presence in midfield – and it appears the club’s supporters are not the only ones delighted with the move.

    As reports broke regarding the agreement, Van Dijk ‘liked’ a tweet from Times journalist Paul Joyce confirming the deal, with many fans taking his response as a sign that the deal will almost certainly happen. Thiago will sign a four-year deal with the Merseysiders and wear the number six shirt, with his arrival providing a huge boost to a squad who wiped the floor with the rest of the Premier League last season.

    The 29-year-old midfielder enjoyed an excellent campaign last season and was instrumental in Bayern Munich’s Champions League victory, though he was keen for a new challenge elsewhere. His arrival does mean Liverpool are rather over-stocked with midfield options now and there have been suggestions Georginio Wijnaldum could leave Anfield if long-time suitors Barcelona make a suitable offer.