Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed the immense difficulty of preparing his team for a recent fixture. The challenge stemmed from the distressing news that Liverpool forward Luis Diaz’s father had been kidnapped in Colombia.
Diaz was subsequently left out of the squad for the Premier League game against Nottingham Forest as a result of this heartbreaking situation.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that Diaz’s mother had been rescued after the kidnapping in northern Colombia, but Diaz’s father remained missing, with suspicions that he might have been taken to Venezuela.
Klopp shared his concerns, stating that the entire club was deeply worried about Diaz and the ordeal his family was facing.
Despite the emotional strain, Liverpool managed to secure a 3-0 victory in the game, marking their fifth consecutive Premier League home win and bringing them within three points of the league leaders, Tottenham.
However, Klopp emphasized the difficulty of giving a football match significance on a day overshadowed by such a distressing event.
He mentioned that he had never encountered a situation like this in his career.
Jurgen Klopp on Luis Diaz’s father kidnapping situation
Klopp explained that they received news of Diaz’s family situation late the night before the match. They spoke with Diaz, who expressed his desire to go home to be with his family.
“We heard late last night about it. We spoke to Luis, he wanted to go home…Then we got the news with his mum, which is fantastic, and since then nothing really. We are obviously the first people to get involved and we try to have knowledge of everything as much as we can, but we don’t want to disturb in any way the important people there, we just want to support, that’s it.”
Said Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool later received the positive news that Diaz’s mother had been rescued, but there was no further information regarding his missing father.
The club aimed to provide support to Diaz in any way they could, although their ability to help directly was limited.
Liverpool issued a statement acknowledging the situation and emphasizing their focus on Diaz’s well-being.
Diaz, a Colombian international who joined Liverpool in January of the previous year for a reported fee of 45 million euros, has scored three goals for the club this season in all competitions.
Colombia’s Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa, announced an investigation into the motives behind the kidnapping and efforts to locate those responsible.
There were indications that Diaz’s father might have been taken to Venezuela, prompting authorities to request assistance from Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
Additionally, Colombia’s national police offered a reward of $48,500 for information leading to Diaz’s father’s rescue.