Xherdan Shaqiri returned to the Liverpool matchday squad last weekend after a near two-month absence caused by a muscle injury
Switzerland head coach Vladimir Petkovic has hit back at claims from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp that Xherdan Shaqiri was injured on international duty.
Switzerland head coach Vladimir Petkovic has hit back at claims from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp that Xherdan Shaqiri was injured on international duty.
He returned to the substitutes bench for Sunday's draw against West Bromwich Albion at Anfield after not featuring in a Liverpool matchday squad since the draw at Manchester City in early November.
Klopp said shortly afterwards Shaqiri had picked up the injury on international duty, explaining: “How I know it, Shaq had a little muscle injury with the national team which he didn’t really realise and then he trained with us.
"We gave him a day off then he came back and was involved in a session, but it was not fully involved, he just did a little bit.
"After that he felt a little bit and then we made a scan and they found out it was an injury from five or six days ago.
"Nobody knew about that, not even Shaq knew about that. That’s how things sometimes are. So he was not able to be involved."
Petkovic has disputed this version of events however and aimed criticism at the Liverpool manager’s handling of the situation.
"He didn't injure himself with us, he trained normally with us when the Ukraine game was cancelled,” he told Blick.
"If you've had a lot of injuries, you also have a lot of scars, and the muscle is no longer as elastic as it used to be.
"He works extremely hard on it. I firmly believe that he can bring a lot to Liverpool.
"I would have found it more suitable if the club had reported to the Nati doctor. Instead of expressing yourself publicly."