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The build-up towards the World Cup has been difficult for multiple teams as many key players have been ruled out of the marquee tournament citing injuries. There has been a lot of criticism towards the scheduling and location of the World Cup but FIFA still went ahead with the tournament causing a lot of uproar among players, coaches and fans.
One such manager, Jurgen Klopp has been vocal about these issues as his team Liverpool was among the top clubs who have been dealing with countless injuries after a long preceding season. In a recent press conference, Klopp was asked to talk about the issue and the German manager had some strong words.
The Liverpool boss expressed how these injury problems were evident ever since the World Cup schedule was announced but no one took notice. But now with the tournament days away, many people have raised concerns.
Klopp said, "I hate this subject! These problems were so clear, they were so clear, and nobody mentioned it one time until three or four weeks before the World Cup. And now all of a sudden players get injured and you say ‘he cannot play the World Cup, wow!’.
Liverpool alone is dealing with major injuries as two out of their four major attacking players, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, have been ruled out from the World Cup. Hence Klopp further stressed how players getting injured isn’t a new thing but with such an important tournament scheduled in the middle of a season, the risk regarding players’ health goes up to a serious level.
He said, "This situation, players getting injured late in the season and missing the World Cup, is not new. After a long season, it happens everywhere in the world. But now starting the World Cup a week after the last game, that is a bigger risk. Crazy.”
Along with the likes of Diaz and Jota, Timo Werner, N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba have already been ruled out through injury. Whereas other stars such as Son Heung-min, Romelu Lukaku, Raphael Varane, Ben Chilwell and Reece James are facing a race against time to be fit for the marquee tournament in Qatar.
