JURGEN KLOPP HAS invited Liverpool-bound Naby Keita for their Uefa Champions League final against Real Madrid.
Keita is set to switch the German Bundesliga for the English Premier League at the end of the season after agreeing personal terms with the Merseyside outfit last summer.
The Reds will take on Zinedine Zidane’s side as they aim for their sixth Champions League title on May 26.
And the Liverpool boss has stated that the Conakry-born midfielder can come to Kyiv to foster his bonding with the team.
“Bringing him in the dining room and saying: ‘Boys, he will play for you next season!’ doesn’t really make any sense. It’s not my first problem, but I will think about it,” Klopp told the Liverpool Echo.
“I have not been thinking about things like this, but if Naby is reading this and he wants to come with us to the final, he is invited!
“Hopefully, Naby will have a big effect on the team immediately because of his quality.”
Klopp admitted that the 23-year-old who picked up four red cards this campaign, had a challenging 2017-18 season with RB Leipzig who are currently placed sixth with 50 points from 33 games.
“This was a difficult season for Naby in Germany, and for Leipzig, in general but he still had outstanding performances. Maybe not the same number as last year, but the whole Leipzig team didn’t do exactly the same as last year either,” he added.
“But one thing for Naby and us is that he doesn’t play in the World Cup so he will have a full pre-season which will help him a lot to prepare for the season with us.”
Dunno about anyone else but all this extreme confidence talk, and slight arrogance/expectancy of a guaranteed result is killing me. Sure, Wales got the rub of the green on more than a few occasions since Pivac took over, and probably haven’t played as attractively as they did under Gats – but write them off at your peril. Sure they’re blighted with injuries, but this stuff, and the likes of Rob Kearney saying he can see a comfortable win just plays into their hands – free motivation. Really would’ve expected better from people who know how cute Wales can be when in the long grass. WalesOnline spreading all this talk across the Irish sea too…
@Ultan Corcoran: spot on, wales never lose by much and area always a tough game. Can’t see this being more then 5 or 6 points either way
@Ultan Corcoran: You’re right. But this is lining up to be such a mismatch, if we cannot beat this Wales team by 10 to 15 minimum, then we aren’t where we thought we were at all.
@Dara: Yeah, feel the same way myself! No more than a score or converted try in it.
@Eoin Roche: I get what you’re saying but it’s a lot to beat a usually very consistent side by.. nonetheless I hope you’re right! Just Wales love nothing more than a big upset.
@Ultan Corcoran: totally agree with you. It’s very poor from ex internationals
@Dara: we beat them 32-9 the last time they came to Dublin. The time before that we beat them 24-14 and 7 of their points came in extra time. On the 80 it was 24-7. Both times Pivac and Farrell were in charge. Since then we’ve kicked on. I’m not sure they have.
If Wales have to play for 80 minutes against 15 players they’ve no chance.
@Paul Harvey: That’s a seemingly very big if!
@Scott Campbell: How?
@Paul Harvey: So you’re saying there’s a chance…
@Eoghan Quinn: yeah, if Murray starts Wales have an even better chance
@Scott Campbell: nah, Peyper is the ref. He has a scary disregard for player welfare.
1.Wyn Jones 2.Ryan Elias 3.Tomas Francis 4.Adam Beard 5.Will Rowlands 6.Ellis Jenkins 7.Taine Basham 8.Aaron Wainwright 9.Tomos Williams 10.Dan Biggar 11.Josh Adams’s 12.Nick Tompkins 13.Jonathan Davies 14.Louis Rees-Zammit 15.Liam Williams.
That’s still a very strong Welsh squad but the way our forwards are playing particularly the front row & backrow & Sexton on form I think we’ll come away with a win.
@Harry O’Callaghan: 16.Bradley Roberts 17.Rhys Carré 18.Leon Brown 19.Seb Davies 20.Ross Moriarty 21.Gareth Davies 22.Gareth Anscombe 23.Uilisi Halaholo.
Ireland bench: 16.Dan Sheehan 17.Cian Healy 18.Finlay Bealham 19.Ian Henderson 20.Peter O’Mahony 21.Conor Murray 22.Joey Carbery/Jack Carty 23.Keith Earls/Andrew Conway/Robert Baloucoune.
Much stronger Irish bench.
Wales were never going to win last time around.
Hopefully the OMG! reactions by the Referee/TMO Cabal that ruined last year’s 6 Nations have matured into keeping players on the pitch.
Good Luck to every team taking part. Thank God its not a Lions year and I can shout at the telly louder!
Why are Ireland such strong favorites? Because we are uniquely delusional supporters, especially before this most unpredictable of tournaments. Only Scots cousins are reliably dafter. Home advantage is huge, but we don’t know how either side will be on the (first) day. After France away, we will know more. Do we often both start and finish well in tournaments? Maybe really good years. I’d love a really good 2023 with RWC in there.