Joel Matip in danger of missing FIVE more Liverpool games in confusing club vs country stand-off
Reds fear Fifa rap as Cameroon ignore pleas over whether Matip can play for them while the African Nations Cup is on
JOEL MATIP could miss FIVE more Liverpool games if they fail to get a deal with Cameroon over his African Nations Cup snub.
The Kop centre-back, 25, was picked even though he quit international football over a year ago.
Yet Cameroon are ignoring pleas from Anfield’s top brass to confirm Matip can play while the tournament is on in Gabon.
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Liverpool play Plymouth in an FA Cup replay on Wednesday and fear they could face a Fifa rap if Matip is in the side.
And if the defender is forced to sit it out until Cameroon’s cup commitments are over, he may be sidelined until Spurs go to Anfield on February 11 — six days after the final.
Liverpool even turned to Fifa for help but world football’s governing body effectively told them to make their own call, even though that leaves them open to disciplinary action from Fifa.
The African was pulled out of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United while Liverpool chased answers over his eligibility.
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Yet Fifa’s response was merely to direct the club to “the applicable provisions” of their rule book, which state any player called up for a tournament cannot play for his club — even if he has retired.
Matip, who was born in Germany but has a Cameroonian father Jean, had long insisted he did not want to be considered.
The centre-back, fit again after six weeks out with an ankle problem, won the last of his 27 caps in the 2014 World Cup.
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And Cameroon boss Hugo Broos admitted in August he knew Matip did not want to play.
WILFRIED ZAHA played his first competitive game for Ivory Coast in a dull 0-0 draw with Togo in the African Nations Cup.
The Crystal Palace winger, 24, had a 68th-minute shot blocked — but was subbed two minutes later.
