No update on Matip - Klopp

Jurgen Klopp does not know if he will be able to call on Joel Matip for this weekend's Premier League clash with Swansea.

Matip was not selected for last weekend's Premier League draw at Manchester United or the FA Cup third-round replay win over Plymouth in midweek due to the uncertainty over his eligibility.

The defender is adamant he has retired from international football having not played for Cameroon since September 2015, but Cameroon maintain he rejected their wish to name him in their squad for the African Cup of Nations.

Liverpool have asked FIFA for clarity on the situation and are waiting for the sport’s governing body to make a decision.

"I don’t have an update," Klopp told his pre-match press conference. "It’s Friday, so today FIFA mentioned to us would be a kind of D-Day for [whether or] not or whatever. It is now one o’clock here, which means in Switzerland it is two o’clock. No, nothing until now.

“It’s difficult in the specific position. With the fixtures we have in the moment, there is not a lot of training time, so when you have the training time you try to work together with the team that could start in the next game.

“If you are not sure what you can do with Joel, he is not that often involved in these things, then [that] obviously makes sense and that is of course not good.

“I had to [pull myself] out a little bit [from] this case because I have to be concentrated on other things. I need my full concentration for other things, but of course I am informed about everything and there is no news until now.”

While Matip could return soon, Liverpool will be without Sadio Mane for an extended spell after Senegal qualified for the latter stages of the competition.

Klopp is happy for his player but admits he has mixed emotions about his success.

"I sent him a message saying. I am happy for you but on the other side I could really kick you in the....lower back," added Klopp.

"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."

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