WE’RE just four days from the Reds’ first game in front of the new Main Stand, and the excitement for 8,500 more heads inside Anfield is palpable.
Leicester are the first to step inside the cauldron to face a bumper 54,000 crowd, most of which will be squabbling over net spend — can we jib that now? Please?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKAW390hfMM/?taken-by=theanfieldwrap
Balo’s Agent Having A Pop
Mario Balotelli’s agent, Mino Raiola, has been having a go at Jürgen Klopp (again) — striking up images of the local drunk yelling at pigeons in the park. He’s probably cursing his luck at having to spend his whole summer flogging the world’s most unwanted player — like some sort of mad closing down sale at Woolworths.
“At the end of the day, Balotelli was a player of Liverpool and you need to treat him with respect. And Klopp didn’t do that. Mario asked several times to have a friendly match. You can train all you want but, at the end of the day, you need 90 minutes, you need a friendly. He never considered him for 60 days. I’m not judging him as a trainer — I don’t like him as a trainer at all — but you have to let him play.”
But he didn’t rule out doing business with Klopp in the future. And none of it was Mario’s fault. Honest.
Mane Fit For Leicester
The sequel to yesterday’s ‘Mane Causing Meltdown’. Sadio Mane has today told the club’s website he’s fit and ready to face Leicester on Saturday, despite the social media turmoil that followed him being substituted for his country at the weekend.
He said: “I’m fit. It’s true I got a little kick in the back of the knee, but it was nothing special — it happened in the first half and I played for the rest of the game. I’d spoke with the coach and because we have new players, he wanted to try [them] and change me, so the substitution was not due to injury.”
In case you’re wondering, that sound is millions of Reds sighing with relief.
Ongoing Saga Still Ongoing
Mahmoud Dahoud is a name that sent loads of people who had never seen him play into frenzy over the summer.
He was constantly linked with the Reds, but his club Borussia Monchengladbach weren’t keen to sell — having already lost two of their starting midfielders to Premier League sides.
It’s understandable, but loads were gutted that we never signed him because he looks boss on YouTube, or something like that. Whatever the case, those fans will be happy to know that Klopp has been sending scouts to watch him play for Germany’s Under-21 side — what a shock!
So yeah, that saga is still going. Until we sign him of course.
Carra Preparing For Balo Bout?
Balotelli has already been mentioned too many times in this round-up, but his Twitter feud with Jamie Carragher did keep the masses entertained.
But it seems Carra isn’t taking the Italian’s response well and is now preparing for a clash with Mario — or possibly that lad from YouTube — by putting in the hours at the gym.
While that’s almost certainly not true — or is it? — here he is working the pads with Stephen Smith:
https://twitter.com/TheAnfieldWrap/status/773140440686002176
Today’s Content
In case you missed it (overused acronym) a couple of pieces have gone up on the site today, the first of which is our weekly look back at events from Liverpool FC’s illustrious history. Read that here.
Dave Webber has penned a reply to Paul Cantwell’s piece — that went up yesterday — insisting money isn’t the answer to all the club’s problems, you can read that here. And Gibbo decided to have a look at how Liverpool have got on during big moments in Anfield’s history, to see whether the opening of the new Main Stand bodes well for the Reds. Read that here.
Listen to the latest *free* Anfield Wrap podcast here:
https://audioboom.com/boos/5012770-home-front?t=0
