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Football

28th Jul 2016

VIDEO: Jurgen Klopp speaks out on why Mamadou Sakho was sent home from Liverpool camp

Conan Doherty

Has anyone checked if he’s still in Alcatraz?

It’s been a whirlwind few months for Mamadou Sakho.

First off, he was suspended pending a drugs investigation. Then he was reprieved, given a total clearance of the charges. Then he was on camera joking with his manager who ribbed him about being late. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that big of a joke after all.

Regardless of the redemption and the laughs, the defender has been sent home from Liverpool’s US tour and Jurgen Klopp has revealed why.

“He nearly missed the departure of the plane, he missed a session and was late for a meal,” the manager said. “We have some rules and we have to respect them. If somebody doesn’t respect it or somebody gives me the feeling he is not respecting it then I have to react, that’s all.

“It is private how he reacted. But we had no argument, it wasn’t ‘aghh, you, no…’. I spoke. You cannot argue when only one person is speaking. That’s all.”

Liverpool lost 1-0 to Chelsea in a friendly on Wednesday night and were lucky not to have another defender absent after a horrific Cesc Fabregas challenge.

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