Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said the team were “completely shocked” by the news of Joel Matip’s injury, which once again raised the issue of player welfare.
Matip became Liverpool’s latest casualty of the season after being sent off in the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the end of last month. Early signs suggested the 32-year-old had suffered a serious knee injury, with Jurgen Klopp confirming the centre-back had torn his anterior cruciate ligament after Wednesday night’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United.”Unfortunately, we expected it from the first moment because of the cruciate ligament tear,” Klopp told reporters. Everything looked like this. I am so sorry”.
The injury could keep Matip out for the rest of the 2023/24 season and there is a very real possibility that the former Schalke defender, currently entering the final year of his contract at Anfield, could play his final game for Liverpool. In a chat with Amazon Prime: Van Dijk was asked about his teammate and said everyone in the Liverpool squad was “completely shocked” by the news. He added: “This is also a sign. “There are a lot of injuries in world football and we have to be careful about that,” he said.
Van Dijk has become an advocate for player welfare amid growing concerns about how increased schedules and schedules will affect injury rates.According to sports information organization Twenty First Group (via The Standard), injuries in the Premier League have increased by 9.5% in the 2023/2024 season compared to the previous season. “I think we have a very busy schedule in England.” Van Dijk told reporters during the October international break. “Aletics are well paid, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of our health.””We have to play more games.
“As players, we need to talk about it and contribute to the solution.”Ahead of Saturday’s game against Crystal Palace, Matip was placed on the injury list alongside Alisson, Diogo Lotta, Andy Robertson, Stefan Baijcetic and Thiago.Meanwhile, Alexis McAllister is also a doubt for the weekend after Wednesday’s win against Sheffield United.
