Jurgen Klopp Starts Luis Diaz as Liverpool’s Rescued Player

This Thursday, November 9, Liverpool traveled to Toulouse, France for matchday 4 of the UEFA Europa League group stage. Despite uncertainties surrounding Luis Díaz’s availability for the ‘Reds’ team following the recent rescue of his father, Coach Jurgen Klopp decided to include him in the starting lineup.

(See also: 🔴 Luis Díaz’s father, released: live updates, images, and more details)

The match kicked off at 12:45 PM and took place just minutes after Luis Manuel Díaz, the soccer player’s father, was rescued by a helicopter in the Serranía del Perijá following a 12-day kidnapping ordeal.

Warm-up Moment of Luis Díaz:

Reds getting ready 💪#TFCLIV pic.twitter.com/kM1IR1OIqk

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 9, 2023

As soon as the news broke, ESPN’s cameras, the channel broadcasting the match, focused on the Colombian winger to capture his reaction. In the footage, Díaz appeared calm and focused, ready for another appearance with Liverpool. However, it seems that beneath the surface, he was truly elated about his father’s release, as confirmed by his coach Jurgen Klopp minutes before kick-off.

“’Lucho’ is very happy, he has his thumbs up all the time and he looks good, very very good,” initially stated the German coach when asked about the current situation of the Colombian player.

Klopp: “Lucho is very happy, he has his thumbs up all the time, he looks good, very very good. Yes (about whether he is in a great mood), We asked him if he wanted to play, he said yes so he will.” 😃 pic.twitter.com/zGlKM4FbZ3

— Andrés Lacouture (@AndresLacouture) November 9, 2023

But that’s not all. Klopp also revealed that it was Díaz himself who made the decision to play the match, informing the coach about his readiness. Klopp had previously stated that he would not pressure Díaz due to the difficult circumstances he had been facing.

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