Republic of Ireland underage international Caoimhin Kelleher has been called up to the Liverpool squad to travel to Serbia to face Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday.
It’s Kelleher’s first call up to the Liverpool senior squad since their 5-0 win over Napoli in the pre-season but will travel with Jurgen Klopp’s side alongside first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Meanwhile winger Xherdan Shaqiri will not travel will the squad for fear that his inclusion may provoke the Belgrade supporters.
Shaqiri sparked controversy at the World Cup by scoring a late winner against Serbia and making a ‘double-headed eagle’ gesture, in reference to the symbol on the flag of Albania. Shaqiri was born in Kosovo but is of Albanian-Kosovo heritage.
Explaining Shaqiri’s non-inclusion in the squad, Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com: “It’s a situation where we will go to the fantastic city of Belgrade as a football team to play football.
“We have heard and read the speculation and talk about what kind of reception Shaq would receive and although we have no idea what would happen, we want to go there and be focused 100 per cent on football and not have to think about anything else, that’s all.
“We are Liverpool FC, a big club, a football team but we don’t have any message further than that. We have no political message, absolutely not. We want the focus to be on a great game of football, free from anything else.
“We are keen to be respectful and keen to avoid any distractions that would take focus away from a 90-minute-plus contest that is important for football and only football. So for that reason, Shaq is not involved and he accepts and understands this. Shaq is our player, we love him, and he will play for us a lot of times, but not on Tuesday.
“I have heard so many wonderful things about the city of Belgrade, and the country of Serbia as a whole, from friends and colleagues who’ve visited before, so now I’m really looking forward to taking Liverpool there for a great game of Champions League football.”
