Luis Diaz equaliser 'wonderful moment' but father release most important thing – Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hugs midfielder Luis Diaz after the 1-1 draw against Luton in November 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has described the equaliser by Luis Diaz at Luton on Sunday as 'a wonderful moment', but has called for the release of the player's father.

Diaz missed the Reds' win at home to Nottingham Forest last weekend after the news that his parents had been kidnapped in Colombia, but returned as a late substitute at Kenilworth Road on Sunday.

The Colombian came on with Liverpool a goal down with just seven minutes left and saved the Reds' blushes with a header deep in added time from a Harvey Elliott cross to earn a point for Klopp's side.

"A wonderful moment but it doesn't change the situation," Klopp said after the match. "Most important thing is that his father gets released."

Although Diaz's mother was released quickly, his father is still missing, with the Colombian government saying that guerrilla group ELN was responsible and the organisation revealing that he would be released in the coming days.

On Diaz choosing to be involved against Luton, Klopp added: "It is wonderful he wanted to be here. For us a super important goal and for him very important and emotional, but that's it.

"We knew he would be a threat. We didn't know how long he would play because he only had a few sessions with the team.

"But that is not the most important part today. He scored the goal but we need to see some improvement [on the situation] in Colombia."

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Liverpool prioritised 'player welfare' after the news that the parents of Luis Diaz had been kidnapped in Colombia.

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And the Anfield club could be in line to move for a Serie A wonderkid in the January transfer window.

Ben Hayward
Weekend editor

Ben Hayward is a European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.