Liverpool have written to UEFA seeking an explanation as to how a supporter managed to evade security and injure goalkeeper Adrian during the Super Cup celebrations in Istanbul.
The club’s new keeper is a doubt for today’s Premier League game at Southampton after suffering a swollen ankle when a pitch invader careered into him following his decisive penalty save from Tammy Abraham at Besiktas Park on Wednesday. The supporter also struck Joe Gomez but while the Liverpool defender is fit to play at St Mary’s a late decision will be required on Adrian’s fitness.
Liverpool have contacted European football’s governing body over the seriousness of the incident and the frequency of pitch invasions in finals hosted by UEFA, who often discipline clubs over identical security breaches. There had been an earlier pitch invasion during the game against Chelsea and in Liverpool’s past two Champions League finals against Real Madrid and Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopp said: “When we were all together a supporter jumped on us. He was chased by some security guys, slipped and kicked his ankle. Crazy. Yesterday it was swollen. I saw on the plane that it is not cool. Adrián wants to play. I think he can but this is still a serious thing and we have to look at it.”
Klopp is already without first-choice keeper Alisson with a calf problem, while third-choice Caoimhin Kelleher has only recently resumed training after a broken wrist. New signing, 35-year-old Andy Lonergan, will make his debut at St Mary’s should Adrián be ruled out. The former West Ham keeper received intensive physiotherapy on the flight home from Istanbul on Thursday and said on Friday he was hopeful he could play at Southampton.
“Today I feel much better,” he said. “It was a strange, weird situation, because we were celebrating between us and one guy jumped from the crowd and started running. I think he slipped in front of us and also the security with him and made me a tackle from the side. I feel mentally ready and I also hope with the treatment of the ankle it’s going to be much better.”
Klopp is concerned at the regularity of pitch invasions at his club’s matches. He said: “There was only Liverpool fans there pretty much, so it probably was one. What can I say? There is no doubt about how much we love our fans but if they could all stop doing that, because that’s the worst example I have heard about.
“It happened against Manchester City in the Community Shield when someone was running on the pitch and against Norwich someone ran on the pitch. It’s not funny. The girl in the Champions League final made money off it. I like that we don’t have fences but that means a lot of responsibility for supporters. If one supporter cannot hesitate or stop himself, then supporters around him should do it.”
The Liverpool manager said the growing problem of pitch invasions is a problem everyone in authority in football needs to take seriously. Klopp said: “We have the Adrian incident which is serious for us but if you ask anyone involved in football if you find it funny that someone runs on the pitch, pants down, half-naked, no one would say, ‘Oh yes, that is really nice’. You never know who it is there.
“Before the season at the Premier League meeting they told us not to get involved but we are all human beings and if they get close you do not know the person and for us it is not funny. It is still happening. It looks like it is happening a bit more often.”
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