Liverpool star missing as the Reds travel to Serbia for UCL game
- Liverpool forward Shaqiri will miss Champions League clash against Red Star Belgrade
-The Premier League outfit are currently sitting atop of Group C table with six points from three matches
- Meanwhile, Shaqiri has been dropped from the Reds squad to avoid crisis from the Serbian fans on the night
Switzerland striker Xherdan Shaqiri has been left out of Liverpool squad to battle Red Star Belgrade in their Champions League clash on Tuesday, October 6 in Serbia.
The 27-year-old joined the Reds from relegated Stoke City after Russia 2018 World Cup and has scored once, with two assists in seven Premier League games this term.
SunSport report that the former Bayern Munich star got Serbian fans angry with his goal at this year's edition of the global showpiece earlier this summer.
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Which led to them booing him when they visited Anfield in the first leg of their UCL clash late last month.
He was said to have been fined £7,360 by Fifa for his "unsportsmanlike" behaviour after he netted a dramatic late winner against Mladen Krstajic's side at the World Cup.
Meanwhile, coach Jurgen Klopp also believes that Shaqiri's presence in the squad in Serbia could have caused a hostile environment.
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Speaking to the club's website, he said: "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."
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Jordan Henderson will also miss the game due to the hamstring injury he is currently recovering from, while Nathaniel Clyne has been declared ill.
Meanwhile, Naby Keita and Dejan Lovren have returned to the club as the Reds hope to continue their dominance on Group C table with six points after three games.
Legit.ng recalls that Champions League finalists Liverpool have announced the signing of Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri in a deal around £13 million this summer.
The 26-year-old was superb for his Swiss national team at the ongoing FIFA World Cup - scoring once in four appearances for the Red Crosses, but crashed out in the round of 16.
He spent the last three seasons with the Potters - where he scored 15 goals in 84 matches in all competitions during his stay at the club.
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Source: Legit.ng