Liverpool fought for Díaz in win after father’s kidnapping – Klopp،
Liverpool were fighting for “brother” Luis Díaz during the team’s 3-0 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Sunday, manager Jurgen Klopp said, as Colombian authorities search for Diaz’s kidnapped father .
Kidnappers tried to arrest both of Díaz’s parents near their home in Colombia on Saturday, but his mother, Cilenis Marulanda, was rescued, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said. The authorities try to save Diaz’s father.
The striker was missing from Liverpool’s squad against Nottingham Forest following the incident.
Klopp told reporters the Colombia international wanted to return home, but he did not say whether he would.
“I don’t want to make the game bigger than it was but it definitely was, we tried to help Lucho [Luis Díaz] with the fight we had,” Klopp said.
“Obviously we want to help him but we can’t really help him, so the only thing we can do is fight for him and that’s what the boys did.
The Liverpool boss added that his team fought for their “brother” in difficult circumstances.
“The best thing we can do is win the game for our brother,” Klopp told reporters. “We played this match in the most difficult circumstances I have ever experienced. After more than 1,000 matches [as a manager] you would think you had experienced everything.
“But it’s not about us. We all pray for everything to be okay. The only thing we can do is fight for our brother and that’s what they did.” [the players] did. The boys fought for their brother.
How can you make a football match really important on a day like this? It’s really difficult. I’ve never had any problems with it in my life. It was always my safe place, sometimes my hiding place as a player or as a coach. You are allowed, during these 90 minutes or so, to concentrate only on that.
Liverpool striker Diogo Jota held up Díaz’s No.7 shirt to show his support after scoring the opening goal of the match as Klopp’s side remained fourth in the table with 23 points from 10 games.
In an interview with the BBC after the match, Jota said he held up Díaz’s jersey “to show that we were with him” in an “unimaginable situation”.
“Luis was with us at the hotel [before the game] then he returned home,” Jota said.
“He was going to play. I played for him and showed him his jersey to show him that we are with him and that we hope everything works out.”
Colombia’s all-time top scorer Radamel Falcao has expressed solidarity with his compatriot as the search for Díaz’s father continues.
“We are with you Luis,” Falcao posted on his Instagram account.
The Colombian Football Federation called on the kidnappers to release the father of the 43-time international.
“We ask the kidnappers of Luis Manuel Díaz, father of Luis Fernando Díaz, to release him now, without conditions,” declares the Colombian Federation. posted onformerly known as Twitter.
“Football is peace. Lucho, we are with you. Colombia is with you.”
Colombian police announced a reward of 200 million Colombian pesos ($48,300) for information leading to the rescue of Díaz’s father.
Reporting from ESPN’s Adriana Garcia contributed to this report
