Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are “unlikely” to qualify for this summer’s European Championship.
Both players suffered long-term knee injuries that took them out of most of the campaign and, despite Liverpool’s first victory as they battled it out for the Premier League. To hold their league, they have run of six consecutive hits at Anfield.
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Van Dijk was expected to captain Holland in their first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup while Gomez complained that he would start in central defense for England, but Klopp has raised doubts. about the availability of the two players.
“That’s not my decision,” Klopp told a news conference ahead of Monday’s match with Wolverhampton Wanderers, when asked if the pair playing in the Euros would benefit Liverpool.
“But, to be honest, the information I have at the moment [is] it will be unlikely. So it’s not that I won’t let them go because I don’t want to have to do that anyway, but it’s because of the extent of the injury. We all hope they are ready to start the preseason with us. That is what we hope for.
“And, at least, by Joel [Matip] it’s pretty much the same, it just doesn’t deserve the Euros but it’s coupled with the same thing.
“This is a very serious injury. And we are not talking about it now [about] what competition can they play. As far as I know, and I am always open to positive surprises, now they all suddenly appear in team training – but no one told me that.
“They both look better in the moment than Joel does because he’s still there [what] appearance of ski boots. But it is here too. Joe is not running, Virgil is already running, but this is very difficult.
“We are completely on the moon when they are ready to train with us for the start of preseason. About the Euro, I did not think about it.
“I don’t know when you had to be back to be able to play the Euros. The week before? The day when the Euros start? I don’t know. That’s it. I’m understand that that may be necessary but we cannot and will not make this decision.
“It’s just about when they’re appropriate, they’ll be appropriate. That’s the way it is.”