Liverpool FC Manager Jurgen Klopp still maintains that it was a back injury, and not a preoccupation with a potential move to Barcelona that kept Philippe Coutinho out of the Reds’ first five contests this season.
Whether or not the back injury excuse was legitimate, and how serious or minor the supposed back injury was, either way, it’s officially over now. Coutinho returned to Liverpool training today and he will be with the team as they travel to Manchester City this weekend. He probably will not feature in the match however.
Philippe Coutinho getting back to work at Melwood ?? pic.twitter.com/ZUoyTB1AOH
— Rousing The Kop (@RousingTheKop) September 7, 2017
Klopp gave an interview to Liverpool’s official website in which he claims that the Brazilian’s mind and body are both right since he returned from international duty.
“Of course – all good, all good,” Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com about his talking with Coutinho since he returned to the team’s Melwood training facility.
“Nothing else to say, actually, so he’s back and we had a really good conversation, so good.”
That was Klopp’s commentary to the club controlled media platform about his star midfielder’s mental state, and here’s what the German had to say about the physical.
“It’s a little bit different,” Klopp said as Coutinho and Roberto Firmino both returned to LFC from Brazil camp. Coutinho came off the bench to play the last 15 minutes of his national team’s draw with Colombia. He also scored as a second-half substitute in a victory over Ecuador, a few days before that clash.
“Roberto played in the second game a little bit longer, but both are fit so that’s cool, they’re healthy so now we have to see,” Klopp continued.
“It’s of course different because Phil, I know what people think, but Phil had the back problem a few weeks ago and couldn’t train so that means he missed around about three weeks.
“Yes, he went to the national team and trained normally, but now we have to prepare for a normal season so we have seven games [before the next international break] and we saw training this morning and thought ‘OK, maybe we should use him immediately’ because he was really good, but that doesn’t make sense.
“We have now to continue with the pre-season, not too long, but in a few sessions we have to give ourselves the time because in the next month we have seven games.”
“We always have the same decision to make, ‘does he need training or can he play?’ and all that stuff. Yes, he will now do a little bit more than the other boys but he showed up in a very, very good mood and looks really promising.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now and Minute Media. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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