Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that his club will have to accept Senegal’s decision to call up Sadio Mane for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against South Africa despite the player not being fully fit.
Mane has only just returned to training after picking up an injury while on duty for Senegal during their latest World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde Islands.
Despite Mane being a key part of the Liverpool first team squad, Klopp does not appear to be too worried that the player may be utilized for his country during their World Cup qualifiers even though he is not fully fit.
Klopp said, “We cannot sit here and ignore the situation of Senegal and say we don’t care if they play in the World Cup. It is not right and not nice. We tried to get in contact with the Senegal FA, or we are (trying). Sadio is not injured any more. Is he 100 percent fit? That is different. He is in a good way.
“He has to go there and if they can get the point they need maybe we can talk again and ask if it necessary for him to play the second game and he can come back. That would be the ideal situation. We cannot decide it. FIFA doesn’t give clubs the opportunity to decide when they play for their countries.
“There are clear rules, we respect them, and in this specific case if he plays it is good for his rhythm. I have no problem with our players playing for the national team, it is only we need to know as much about the circumstances.
“Training is different and that is something I would love to have more influence on in the future. If Sadio can play I really think he should because it is good to get some rhythm, otherwise he would not have played for how many weeks. It would be nice. An injury risk is always there, even in training.”
