Jurgen Klopp bade farewell to Liverpool in a tribute after the club’s final game of the season but there was one dissonant voice. Darwin Nunez looked down at the ground and covered his head with his hand as his manager gave a dressing room talk and did not applaud him as he walked out onto the pitch to a corridor of players who were lavishing him and even giving him hugs as a sign of affection and respect.
Since mid-April, Darwin Nunez has had to take a step back from Liverpool’s rotation. Jurgen Klopp had been defending him all season from criticism in performances where he was expected to score a goal but had to relegate him to the bench in the end, and it seems the Uruguayan has not been amused. First, he was spotted with compatriot Ronald Araujo in Barcelona, sparking rumours in the Catalan transfer market.
Then, he suddenly ignored him during his farewell event at Anfield. This campaign was the German tactician’s last at the Reds, where he sparked a turnaround in mentality since 2015 that has led to trophies such as the Premier League and Champions League, among others.
To thank him for almost a decade of dedication to the team and the city, the stands were filled with a round of chants and applause, a dynamic in which members of the dressing room took part.
It was precisely in these two key moments of the tribute that Darwin Nunez disparaged his coach. During his backstage speech, he looked down at the floor and covered his head with the palm of his hand. Later, as his teammates gave a standing ovation to a beaming Klopp as he emerged from the tunnel, he stood with his arms folded under his stomach.