London [UK], March 14 (ANI): Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that it is unlikely that Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk would be fit for this year’s Euro Cup.
The Liverpool duo has been on the sidelines since October last year with knee injuries and manager Klopp does not expect them to be fit before the end of this season.
“It is not my decision but to be honest the information I have in the moment is that it will be unlikely. It’s not that I don’t let them go, because I don’t want to have to do that anyway. It is because of the extent of the injuries. We all hope they will be ready to start pre-season with us, that’s what we all hope. With Joel [Matip] it is pretty much the same. These are really serious injuries and it is now not about talking about which competition they play,” Goal.com quoted Klopp as saying.
“I am always open for positive surprises, and that they all of a sudden turn up in team training, but no-one told me that. The two of them look better than Joel as he is still in what looks like ski boots. Joe is not running, Virgil is already running but this is a real tough one. We will be completely over the moon when they are ready to train with us for the start of pre-season but the Euros I didn’t think about it,” he added.
Further elaborating on his point, Klopp said: “When do you have to be back to be ready to play in Euros? The week before? The day the Euros start? I don’t know. I understand maybe the need of that but we cannot make this decision and we will not. They will be fit when they are fit.”
Van Dijk has not played since suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the match against Everton on October 17. Gomez, meanwhile injured his knee during a training session with England on November 11.
Liverpool is currently at the eighth position in the Premier League standings with 43 points from 28 matches. The side will next take on Wolves on Monday. (ANI)