Liverpool boss banished £18m star after mysterious falling out – 'I can't accept the lie'

Jurgen Klopp once froze out an international defender following a mysterious falling out ahead of his first full season as Liverpool boss. Mamadou Sakho, an £18million signing from Paris Saint-Germain, had become a key member of the squad during the 2015/16 campaign, which saw the sacked Brendan Rodgers replaced by Klopp.

However, the Frenchman was sidelined amid a doping investigation - from which he was later exonerated and awarded compensation - resulting in him missing the Europa League final defeat by Sevilla and Euro 2016, hosted by France.

Sakho was cleared to resume his career that summer and travelled with the Reds squad to the United States for a pre-season tour. However, that proved to be the beginning of the end of his Liverpool career after he was accused of being late for a flight, a team meal and a treatment session.

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Klopp explained: “I thought maybe it made sense for him to fly home to Liverpool and after eight or 10 days, when we come back, we can talk about it. It's not that serious.

“He nearly missed the departure of the plane, he missed a session and was late for a meal. We have some rules and we have to respect them. If somebody doesn't respect it or somebody gives me the feeling he is not respecting it, then I have to react, that's all.

“It is private how he reacted. But we had no argument. You cannot argue when only one person is speaking. That's all. I think missed a session is missed a session. Even injured players have sessions.”

As the season began, Sakho remained banished from the first team, training instead with the under-23 squad. Frustrated at his situation, Sakho took to his Snapchat account at 3am one morning to insist he was fit to play.

He posted: “Now it's three weeks I am fit to play games. They don't want me to play with segonde (segondo, U23s) team lol. Still working hard like Scouse Soldier! Still not talking cos I want to speak on the pitch....I will speak soon for the people who support me and don't understand the situation (emoji).

“Still happy to live in my Liverpool Country (emoji) with my family, hope to have chance to play soon to give my best like I try to always do! I accept my situation but I can't accept the lie....the fans deserve to know the true! Thanks for your support (emoji) 6 six months stay quiet. Have good night everybody! You'll never walk alone! (emoji).”

Speaking in France, Sakho acknowledged his tardiness to Canal Football Club, saying: “It is true that I turned up late. There was a rule that I should have observed. I do not at all see myself as above the rules, I respect everyone.

“I paid my fine, I was sanctioned, I apologised to my team-mates and my manager. Aside from that… I do not want to go into the controversies.”

Sakho, now 35 and playing his football in Georgia, would eventually leave Liverpool, initially on loan, for Crystal Palace in 2017. Speaking earlier this summer, nine years after his spat with Klopp, Sakho spoke of his respect for the German but insisted all was not as it seemed. He told the Liverpool Echo: “Good relationship because I'm not a negative man. I always respect. I like his type of football.”

Addressing the lateness he was sent home for and his subsequent Snapchat message, Sakho added: “Seriously, because a player is late to eat, the time's 7.15 and he comes at 7.18, now he leaves the club? Come on.

“What I wrote (on Snapchat) was the truth. But the truth always takes the stairs and the lie takes the elevator. You have football that people see, and you have few things inside but they cannot talk about it. So I always keep it for me as a man and that's it.

“I never talk and I would not speak for the moment because it's not important. I really enjoy my time in Liverpool. I will speak about it one day, of course. Of course one day I will speak. But not now, it is not the right moment.”

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