Thiago, Matip to leave Liverpool at end of season

 

Midfielder Thiago Alcantara and defender Joel Matip will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, the club have confirmed.

Former Spain international Thiago, 33, joined Liverpool from Bayern Munich in 2020 and made 98 appearances during his time at Anfield.

Matip, 32, has played 201 times and scored 11 goals for Liverpool since his arrival from Schalke in 2016.

The pair have experienced limited playing time this season because of injuries.

Centre-back Matip has not featured for the Reds since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Fulham in December.

After missing the first six months of the season with a hip issue, former Barcelona player Thiago returned to action in February against Arsenal but experienced a muscle problem during his brief appearance which has since kept him on the sidelines.

“It has been eight wonderful years here in Liverpool,” Matip said.

“I was allowed to be part of an exciting history with a great coach and an astonishing team in an extraordinary club. We have achieved great titles and have the best fans in the world.”

Th ex-Cameroon international was a part of the Liverpool side that won the Champions League in 2019, setting up Divock Origi for the second goal as they beat Tottenham in the final.

Matip then lifted the Premier League the following year – the club’s first top-flight title in 30 years.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “In all the years that I have been involved in football, I am not sure I have come across too many players who are more loved than Joel Matip.

“I’m not even sure it would be possible to say anything bad about him.”

German Klopp will also leave after their final game of the season, against Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.

Both Matip and Thiago won the FA Cup and EFL Cup with the Reds in 2022.

During that season Liverpool missed out on a quadruple, beaten to the league title by Manchester City by one point and losing the Champions League final against Real Madrid.

Thiago described his time at Liverpool as a “life-changing experience”.

“Appreciation and gratitude – they are two words that come to mind on the day I have to say goodbye to all of you, Reds,” he posted on social media.

Klopp said: “Before he even came to Liverpool I believed that if you really love football it would make a lot of sense if you watched Thiago Alcantara play.

“I know injuries have been a frustration for him and also for us but the level that he was able to play at when he was available was incredible. This is what I will remember.”

BBCSports