Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed his emotional response to seeing Diogo Jota on crutches following the serious injury he suffered on Sunday.
Jota went down in the closing stages of Liverpool's 1-0 win over Manchester City in the Premier League.
The Portuguese star was stretchered off the pitch. On Tuesday, Klopp confirmed the extent of the damage suffered by what was diagnosed as a calf injury. He confirmed Jota will miss the World Cup.
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The Reds boss explained (quotes via Sky Sports): "[It is a] pretty serious injury in the calf muscle, and now the recovery process starts. That's it, pretty much.
"That is the first diagnosis, which is pretty clear, and all the rest will now follow in the next few days."
Jota then expressed his own devastation at the injury news in a Twitter post: "After such a good night at Anfield mine ended in the worst way! In the last minute, one of my dreams collapsed.
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"I will be one more supporting from the outside, club and country, and fighting to be back as soon as possible. You'll Never Walk Alone."
Klopp reveals Jota is on crutches, expresses reaction
Speaking on Friday before Liverpool's Premier League trip to Southampton, Klopp gave more details on the extent of the injury suffered by one of his star players.
Klopp said (as per Anfield Watch): "When I saw him yesterday on crutches, and he wanted to shake my hand, I had to give him a hug.
"I said, 'It's more for me than you, to be honest', because it's a shame, the whole thing. How it happened, when it happened, that it happened, all these kinds of things.
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"But he is incredibly strong. It's unbelievable. He is a role model in that. He really takes it like it is. 'You cannot change it anymore, so let's work from here'.
"So yes, we support as him as much as we can. But we all know, and we were involved in professional football, especially as a player, how lonesome rehab phases can be anyway, because you spend a lot of time at the training ground for your rehab but then all the other time is still long, when you are at home."
Reds fans will hope Jota recovers fully as quickly as possible, with a packed schedule of fixtures in the Premier League once the World Cup in Qatar ends on December 18.
Featured Image Credit: Alamy / Insidefoto di andrea staccioli/Alamy Live NewsTopics: Liverpool, Diogo Jota, Jurgen Klopp, Premier League
