Jurgen Klopp on 'unfair' Joel Matip Liverpool situation and 'mixed emotions' on Sadio Mane's Senegal goals

Jurgen Klopp has suggested that the ongoing uncertainty over Joel Matip’s eligibility is unfair on Liverpool.

Klopp is set to find out later on Friday whether Matip can play for the club while the Africa Cup of Nations is in progress.

There has been significant confusion over the defender’s situation, after he declared last month that he did not want to play for Cameroon at the tournament in Gabon.

Fifa regulations state that a player may be blocked from appearing for his club during a period in which he refuses to play for his country - in effect, as long as Cameroon remain in the tournament.

However, the situation has become muddier because, although Matip was included in Cameroon’s preliminary squad, he was not picked for the final 23-man party by head coach Hugo Broos.

Liverpool have so far drawn a blank in their attempts to get clarification from Fifa as to whether the block applies in such an instance. It meant that Klopp had to change a plan to field Matip in Wednesday’s FA Cup replay at Plymouth after taking legal advice, and is waiting to see if he can include the defender in his squad for Saturday’s Premier League home game against Swansea.

Klopp said: “It is difficult in this position, because with the fixtures we have at the moment, we don't have a lot of training time. You have to work with the team which could start in the next game and when you're not sure what to do with Joel, he is not that involved.

"I had to put me outside this case a little bit because I need my full concentration about other things.

"We knew about the Africa Cup of Nations and it is the same for all teams with African players. The Matip case is obviously, for us, special and we do not feel it is fair.

“We do what we can but we cannot change it and we cannot turn it in our direction because we want it. It is another experience which you don't need but we have to learn from it.”

Klopp was at pains to suggest that his frustration is related specifically to the Matip case, rather than the scheduling of the Cup of Nations, which is set to finish on February 5.

He accepts that European clubs who sign African players must cope with the prospect of losing them for more than a month in the middle of their domestic season every two years.

He said: “I absolutely do not have a problem with the African Cup of Nations, it is the opposite.

“I have respect for all what they are doing there in the most difficult circumstances still. It is a great tournament. In the middle of our season makes it not too cool but that is not my decision.”

Klopp, though, did joke about having mixed emotions after his forward Sadio Mane helped ensure Senegal would progress from the group stages, and extend their stay at the tournament, by scoring in a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe on Thursday.

“I thought: I am happy for you but on the other side I could really kick you in… the lower back,” Klopp said. “They are through, which is good. He played again, scored again.

“I texted him last night but mixed emotions is probably the best description. As long as he is fit then we take it like it is and support Senegal.”