In support of Luis Diaz, former Colombian international Juan Camilo Zuniga has urged for a suspension of football games while the search for the Liverpool star’s father is ongoing.
Over the weekend, armed assailants on motorcycles kidnapped Diaz’s parents from their village of Barrancas, close to the Venezuelan border, at a gas station.Cilenis Marulanda, Diaz’s mother, has recently made a full recovery. But the hunt for Luis Manuel Diaz, the 26-year-old’s father, is still ongoing.
While air and ground patrols have been looking through the mountainous, forested territory between Colombia and Venezuela, the Colombian special forces have been called in to assist in the search for Diaz’s father.
For any information that could aid in the search and rescue effort, authorities are offering a reward of about £40,000.
Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, acknowledged that the game’s preparations had been “the most difficult I’ve ever had in my life,” which is why Diaz was left out of the team’s 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Diogo Jota, who scored the first goal for the Reds in the game, honored his comrade by holding a “Diaz 7) shirt high, and the football community has shown overwhelming solidarity.It was Luis Díaz’s turn today. God forbid, it might affect one of us tomorrow,” he remarked via El Pais.
James Rodriguez, another well-known Colombian football player, also posted a message of support for his countryman on social media. “I invite all my colleagues, so that we have more solidarity with Lucho. Players, there is no brain to play with a situation like this. If we have to not play until Lucho’s dad shows up, let’s do it guys, please.”
“We ask the captors of Luis Manuel Díaz, father of Luis Díaz, to release him now, without conditions. Football is peace. Lucho we are with you, Colombia is with you,” the former Real Madrid and Everton player wrote.
We agree, Luchito. “There are things much more important than a football match, please. What society are we living in?”
According to reports, Diaz Remains in England while search continues.
