Guinea Boss Paul Put Hopeful on Liverpool's Naby Keita Fitness for AFCON Last 16
Jul 3, 2019
Guinea's midfielder Naby Keita attends a training session at the Alexandria stadium in Alexandria, northern Egypt, on June 25, 2019, on the eve of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football match between Nigeria and Guinea. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo credit should read GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)
Guinea manager Paul Put is hopeful Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita will be able to play a part in the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The midfielder's competition has been plagued by fitness problems, and having been substituted during the 1-0 loss to Nigeria on June 26, he returned to Merseyside for treatment on thigh and shin issues.
Despite missing Keita for their game against Burundi on Sunday, Guinea were able to earn a 2-0 win and secure their place in the knockout stage of the competition.
Put said he's hoping Keita could yet play a part in the tournament, per BBC (h/t Paul Gorst of the Liverpool Echo):
"I hope that he will be back and join the team. He was called by the medical staff at Liverpool.
"He wrote to me that he has to do one more examination at Liverpool and then they will make a decision, so I hope this decision will be positive. But also we have to know if the player is mentally good in the head because if you're not good and you're afraid to get injured that makes no player comfortable."
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The Anfield Edition Twitter account said the former RB Leipzig man was on the end of some rough treatment from the Nigeria players in the 1-0 loss:
Naby Keita finally been taken off for Guinea against Nigeria today.
Targeted all match and a few injury concerns.
Clearly not ready to play yet.
— Anfield Edition | æ (@AnfieldEdition) June 26, 2019
Put added that he was pleased the Reds allowed the 24-year-old the best chance possible of getting fit for AFCON, as he missed the latter stages of the 2018-19 domestic season due to injury.
"Everybody was hoping and expecting a lot from Naby and he couldn't play the [Champions League] final through injury, but he had the chance to play AFCON, he wanted to show," the Guinea coach added. "I had the feeling that Liverpool wanted Naby to play in the AFCON, and he has colleagues at Liverpool in [Mohamed] Salah and [Sadio] Mane, so it all counts."
Here is more of what Put had to say about the midfielder, per John Bennett of BBC Sport:
Guinea will be in action on Sunday in their last-16 showdown, as they face one of the tournament favourites in Algeria.
It would be a boost for the team if Keita was available for that encounter, as he is Guinea's most gifted player.
While Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League last season, Keita's term was punctured by fitness issues following a big-money move from RB Leipzig. Still, when he was on the field, he was clearly a helpful presence at times:
Players to have played the most Premier League games this season without a single defeat:
Next season, Liverpool supporters will hope Keita can reach the levels he hit so frequently for Leipzig in 2016-17, when he was arguably the best midfielder in the Bundesliga.
With that in mind, it will encourage the Reds that Guinea are being mindful over the player's fitness. Another setback would be a major blow for the player ahead of the upcoming campaign, when he'll be desperate to establish himself in English football.
Guinea Coach Wants 'Second Medical Opinion' on Naby Keita Adductor Injury
May 4, 2019
Naby Keita of Liverpool FC (c) during the UEFA Champions League semi final match between FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC at Camp Nou on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
Guinea coach Paul Put said he wants a "second medical opinion" on Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita's adductor injury to see if he will be fit to play at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
The midfielder was forced off with the problem during Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg defeat to Barcelona, and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp told reporters after the match he would be out for "at least two months."
Put told the Federation's Facebook page (h/t BBC Sport's Mohamed Fajah Barrie) that he is seeking further information to determine exactly how long the midfielder will be out of action.
"We want a second medical opinion and we are seeking the expertise of the doctor in Switzerland who Keita always contacts whenever he's injured.
"The first report from Liverpool is a third degree injury. Normally such an injury can take six weeks to heal. But I don't know because I'm not a doctor, I don't have medical experience. I have spoken to Keita and we have communicated to Liverpool asking for their medical report.
"We hope to get the doctor's report next week and we'll compare it with the a second opinion report from the doctor in Switzerland. Then we'll know whether Keita will be available to play the Nations cup."
Klopp said the injury was "bad news" for Liverpool and for Guinea ahead of the summer's tournament, as shown by Sky Sports News:
"That is how football and life sometimes are, not too nice. But it is very serious and for sure it is not the best moment for him."
The midfielder will miss Liverpool's remaining Premier League fixtures against Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as the second leg of their Champions League tie against Barcelona.
However, the Guinea coach is evidently hoping he may be fit to play some part in the Africa Cup of Nations, which starts in June in Egypt.
Guinea have been drawn in Group B with Madagascar and Burundi, who are both in the tournament for the first time, as well as Nigeria. Their first game is against Madagascar on June 22 in Alexandria.
Guinea Football Federation president Antonio Souare has reportedly been critical of Liverpool and said Keita will play in Egypt:
Keita's injury has come at a bad time, as the midfielder had started to round into form after a difficult first season at Liverpool following his summer move from RB Leipzig.
It remains to be seen if he will be fit to play any part of Guinea's Africa Cup of Nations campaign, but if he does fail to recover in time, he will be a big miss for Put's team.
