Klopp drawn into Ramadan controversy by Demba Ba comment

Robin Bairner

• 3 Apr 2023 14:32 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been drawn into a heated debate over how Muslim players observe their fasting period in Ramadan in France.

Nantes full-back Jaouen Hadjam hit the headlines in Ligue 1 when it emerged that he had been dropped from the club’s matchday squad for a fixture against Reims because head coach Antoine Kombouare was not happy with him observing his Ramadan fast on matchday.

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Moussa Sissoko, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Mostafa Mohamed, Samuel Moutoussamy and Charles Traore played but Hadjam, who signed for Nantes from Ligue 2 side Paris FC in January, did not.

“For me, there’s no controversy,” Kombouare argued. “I am a coach, I put rules in place. During the week, those who fast, I support them and I help them. When there is lunch they rest, when there are double sessions they don't train. On the other hand, I ask that on match days they do not fast. I want to prevent them from getting hurt.”

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Klopp shows how to manage the situation

Former Chelsea and Newcastle striker Demba Ba hit back at the former PSG coach by comparing him to Jurgen Klopp.

“It amazes me to that there are still those who think that the fasting month of Ramadan is behavioural,” he Tweeted.

“For those who are still wondering, we are talking about the identity of a person. A simple question: is it a good thing to ask someone to put aside what gives them their identity?

“A Jurgen Klopp, for example, would in my opinion put the players in the best condition so that they can perform. And if they don't perform, then they should be left out, for sporting and non-identity reasons. But invoking health reasons is only a cover.”

It was evident at the weekend that Klopp has no problems picking players who are fasting, with Mohamed Salah notably refusing to drink water on the field against Manchester City in the Premier League defeat last Saturday. Incidentally, Salah scored Liverpool’s goal in the 4-1 defeat.