Liverpool: Jurgen Klopp's assistant manager Zeljko Buvac 'spending time away' from club
Liverpool assistant manager Zeljko Buvac will not be involved with the first team until the end of the season for personal reasons.
The Reds are preparing for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Roma, having won last week's first leg at Anfield 5-2.
There were reports Buvac left Liverpool after a falling out with manager Jurgen Klopp.
However, the Anfield club maintain Buvac remains an employee of the club.
Liverpool consider the matter to be private and say his position at the club will not be affected by his absence.
Buvac became Klopp's assistant at Mainz in 2001, with the pair having been together at the club during their playing careers.
Klopp was appointed Borussia Dortmund boss in 2008 and took Buvac with him.
The pair helped the club win the Bundesliga title in 2011 and 2012 before he again joined up with Klopp, who was appointed as Liverpool manager in October 2015, at Anfield.
Analysis
BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty
The departure of Buvac is a serious blow to Liverpool and manager Klopp before their Champions League semi-final second leg against Roma in Italy on Wednesday.
Liverpool insist assistant manager Buvac's departure is for "personal reasons" but the timing is what is most striking, just days before arguably the club's most important game in years.
And for Klopp, it represented the loss of the man who has been at his right-hand side in management for 17 years at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and then latterly Liverpool.
Buvac has been labelled "The Brain" for his input into coaching and tactics throughout Klopp's management career, who insisted he had to be part of his management team when he arrived at Liverpool in October 2015.
He is the familiar long-haired figure next to Klopp in Liverpool's technical area and has always been regarded as man with the expertise, credentials and close personal relationship to be able to play a key role in the German's decision-making.
It remains to be seen whether Buvac returns after Liverpool revealed he would "spending some time away from the first team environment" - but the fact this absence comes at such a crucial time in the club's season, with a top four place in the Premier League and the Champions League so high on the agenda, makes this open to question.
And it will also create an unwelcome distraction for Klopp and Liverpool when they want sole focus to be on events in Rome on Wednesday night.
@Giggs
No one knows the actual reason for Buvac's sudden disappearance. Some say it's the usual fall out with Klopp which apparently has happened quite a few times during their 17 years together.
Some say he is set to take over at Arsenal. Some say his father is unwell. Whatever be it, the sideshow could have been avoided ahead of this club's biggest game in the last decade.
away beyond the worldly rules of right and wrong, there is a field; I will meet you there
Gary Neville's team of the season.
- aake 16 kali maathram kalicha vincent kompany team of the seasonil. ivanokke ethu kanchaavaano valikkunne?
http://www.myfootballfacts.com/All-T...to2010-11.html
Leeds avg point per season(57.67) in PL only bettered by manutd(81), arsenal(73), Liverpool(67),chelsea(72) and marginally by mancity(58.55 ) and Tottenham(57.88 )!! Relegated once and never came back once upon a time our fierce rivals!!
Played in 1975 European cup final and in UCL semis as recently as 2001!!
Last edited by perumal; 05-01-2018 at 10:40 PM.
Leeds ayat utd nu katta rivalry aayirunu enoke ketatund...they sold us eric cantona and Ferdinand...cantona sale became defining moment in manutd success (the year before manutd got first PL under fergie,leeds won it )
Ferdinand sale kainj anu avarde kalikaalam thidangiyath...debt oke koodi ferdy ne njangalk vilkendi vannu...for a record fee for a defender then! Ivare enna moilali medichat venam adutha shalyam koodi varan