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Sevilla’s Joris Gnagnon apologises for ‘heinous’ tackle on Liverpool’s Yasser Larouci

Liverpool suffer 2-1 defeat in pre-season friendly

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Yasser Larouci was 'lucky' not to have suffered a more serious injury after a nasty challenge in Liverpool's 2-1 pre-season defeat to Sevilla, says Jurgen Klopp

Sevilla's Joris Gnagnon has apologised for an "heinous" tackle on Liverpool youngster Yasser Larouci during a pre-season friendly in Boston.

The 18-year-old was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in the 80th minute of the 2-1 defeat with Jurgen Klopp stating the youngster was "lucky" not to have suffered a more serious injury in Boston.

"It's much too early in the season to create headlines by saying what I think but it looks like he was lucky," Klopp told reporters at his post-match press conference.

"Of course, how it always is with these things we have to wait a little bit."

Gnagnon was immediately shown a red card for the kick to Larouci's leg while the scores were level at 1-1.

Liverpool's Yasser Larouci was taken off on a stretcher after a horror tackle during the 2-1 pre-season friendly defeat to Sevilla.
Image: Liverpool's Yasser Larouci was taken off on a stretcher after a horror tackle during the 2-1 pre-season friendly defeat to Sevilla

Asked for specifics on Larouci's injury, Klopp added: "He hit him full throttle and, in that moment, [if it was] a little bit different position where he hit him then it's done. He rolls... he is a sports boy so that was OK, nothing happened there.

"I don't know 100 per cent. It looks like he was lucky but I only spoke quickly to the doc and that's what he said, but we have to see."

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After the match, Gnagnon apologised for the "heinous" tackle. Posting on Twitter, he wrote: "I would like to publicly apologise towards Liverpool, the family of the player and its supporters.

"It was a heinous act on my part. Whatever the reason, it's not what should be seen on a football pitch. All my prayers are with the player and his family."

How Liverpool slipped to defeat

Sevilla had earned a deserved first-half lead in front of a partisan Liverpool crowd when Nolito fired past debutant Andy Lonergan in the 38th minute.

Divock Origi hit back a minute before the break when he tapped home Nathaniel Phillips' header from a corner.

But Sevilla clinched the win in the final minute as Alejandro Pozo scored into an empty net.

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