Joel Matip will NOT be in the Liverpool side for FA Cup replay with Plymouth after Fifa eligibility row rumbles on
Despite defender retiring from international football over a year ago and was not called up by Cameroon for the African Cup of Nations Matip is still not allowed to play in FA Cup replay
JOEL MATIP will NOT be in the Liverpool side for tonight’s FA Cup replay at Plymouth.
The Reds flew to Exeter airport earlier this morning without their Cameroon centre back, as the row over his eligibility rumbles on.
Yet senior stars like Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, Divock Origi and Lucas Leiva have all travelled to Devon.
Ragnar Klavan, Alberto Moreno and Joe Gomez are also in the squad, with Jurgen Klopp set to field a stronger line-up than the first meeting at Anfield.
Yet that starting 11 will not include Matip, after the Kop boss decided he would be staying at Melwood for training instead.
Klopp had taken legal advice from the club’s lawyers over whether to pick the 25-year-old.
Matip retired from international football 15 months ago and was not named in the Cameroon squad for the African Cup of Nations, currently taking place in Gabon.
But FIFA rules mean that Liverpool need an official letter from his nation’s ruling body before he can play club football for the duration of the tournament.
And with none coming from Cameroon FA boss Joseph Owona – and FIFA so far effectively telling Liverpool to make their own judgement – Matip stayed at home.
FIFA will only consider whether there is a case to consider on Friday – and could take another ten days after that before reaching a decision.
Matip is only just returning from six weeks out with an ankle injury and was withdrawn from the squad to face Manchester United on Sunday because of the row.
Klopp saw tonight’s third round replay as the ideal game to bring him back - yet with no immediate end to the fiasco in sight, opted not to risk it.
A worst case scenario could see FIFA ruling that Matip cannot play until a week after the Nations Cup, which would sideline him until February 12.
But Klopp and Liverpool remain convinced the player has done nothing wrong, and that FIFA will give him the thumbs up for selection on Friday.