Klopp quashes renewed talk of Coutinho sale
BURNLEY, United Kingdom: Jurgen Klopp insists Philippe Coutinho was genuinely injured for Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Burnley as he laughed off talk of the Brazil forward joining Barcelona.
Coutinho missed Monday’s Premier League fixture at Turf Moor with a thigh injury amid a backdrop of speculation over a move to the Nou Camp in the January transfer window.
The rumours were fuelled further by pictures - subsequently removed - of a Barcelona shirt with Coutinho’s name appearing on the website of Nike, the Catalan club’s kit manufacturer, over the weekend.
However, Reds boss Klopp claims there was nothing untoward behind the 25-yearold’s absence from Liverpool’s squad at Turf Moor as he responded to questions about the Nike pictures.
“I heard about it. Somebody told me and I thought ‘wow’. But I couldn’t be less interested in anything in the world!” Klopp said.
“Him (Coutinho) and Mohamed (Salah) are injured, not massively but enough for today, no chance and at least a doubt for Everton.”
Despite Coutinho and Salah’s absences, Estonia defender Ragnar Klavan scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner for Liverpool after Johann Berg Gudmundsson had cancelled out Sadio Mane’s opener.
And Klopp was most satisfied with the fortitude shown by his defence on a day when they might have wilted against a dogged Burnley side.
“I am really happy about our attitude and character,” Klopp said.
“You need to win your average games, win with attitude when you are not 100 percent.” - AFP