Salah out of Barça game, Klopp confirms
Liverpool have been dealt a huge blow ahead of their Champions League clash with Barcelona on Tuesday, as Klopp confirms Mohamed Salah is ruled out.
Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of Liverpool's Champions League semi-final clash against Barcelona on Tuesday.
The news will come as a major blow for the Reds as as they face the monumental task of overturning a 3-0 deficit from the first leg.
The Egyptian striker had been suspected to have suffered a concussion during the Newcastle-Liverpool game on Saturday after a heavy collision with Magpies’ keeper Martin Dubravka that left him lying motionless on the ground for several minutes before he was eventually stretchered off.
After Salah underwent medical tests on Monday morning, Klopp confirmed that the 26-year-old had suffered a concussion and, in line with protocol, will not be allowed to play on Tuesday.
“It’s a concussion so it’s a case of him not even being allowed to play,” Klopp said in a press conference.
“He feels OK but it’s not good enough from a medical point view, that’s all.”
The Egyptian international joins striker partner Firmino on the sidelines, which leaves manager Jurgen Klopp having to field a weakened front line against the Spanish champions.
But despite the loss of his two first-choice strikers, the German coach said: "We are far away from giving up."
“Two of the world’s best strikers are not available tomorrow – it doesn’t make life any easier but while we have 11 players on the pitch we will try," he added.
Dubravka gives account of Salah incident
Meanwhile, Newcastle keeper Dubravka has spoken publically about the incident for the first time saying he had no intention to hurt Salah.
“I don't know if he was out for five or six seconds. Fabian asked him if he was all right and he didn't answer him, so in that moment we were a little bit scared if he was OK,” said Dubravka, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“I felt sorry for him but I was just focused on the ball. Sometimes you can't watch everything. I didn't hit him with my hand, I didn't punch him. It might have been my hip. I wasn't sure if it was me or someone else. But I went to him to say sorry. I wasn't trying to injure him. I'm not that kind of guy.”