Guinea Coach Delivers Surprise Injury Update on Naby Keita Ahead of Champions League Final

Guinea's head coach has claimed that ​Naby Keita is expected to be fit for the Africa Cup of Nations and could even return in time to feature for Liverpool in the Champions League final.

The Reds midfielder has been absent for Jurgen Klopp's side in recent weeks after suffering an adductor injury in a clash with Ivan Rakitic during Liverpool's Champions League encounter with Barcelona at the start of May.

Jurgen Klopp subsequently revealed that Keita had ruptured the tendon and suggested that the midfielder would be out for at least two months, which would have ruled the 24-year-old out of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which start in Egypt on 21 June.

That has been met with a heated response from Guniea Football Federation president Antonio Souare. As quoted by the ​Liverpool Echo, Souare told Klopp to 'pull himself together' and suggested that the assessment of Keita's condition was 'hasty and pretentious'.

Guinea's head coach Paul Put has now echoed that sentiment, as he said of Keita via ​Foot 224: "He consulted his doctor in Switzerland, as I said at the beginning. He is in treatment with his doctor."

Naby Keita

​Liverpool take on Premier League rivals ​Tottenham in the Champions League final on 1 June, and Put added ahead of the showpiece event in Madrid: "He has started on the bike there [in Liverpool] and it is said that he will maybe in two weeks resume with the squad.

"It is even possible that he is in the squad for the Champions League final, if what I have been told is true. We will see. We will wait and remain realistic. This is not the time to scream or panic. We have to wait and see how it goes."

Guinea will kick off their Africa Cup of Nations campaign against Madagascar on 22 June, before Keita's side also take on Nigeria and Burundi in the group stage of the competition.

Meanwhile, long-term injuries have played a significant part in Liverpool's season, with key men Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Joe Gomez having missed the majority of the campaign. 

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However, the pair's availability for the Champions League final, potentially alongside Keita, could be a huge boost for Klopp's side.


Source : 90min