Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed Luis Diaz's equaliser against Luton Town in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw as "wonderful", "emotional" and "fantastic" but conceded that the "real problem" remains unsolved as he awaits updates on his father's safety.
The Colombia international returned to the matchday squad at Kenilworth Road one week after his parents were kidnapped by an armed gang in his homeland, although his mother was rescued hours later.
However, Diaz has not been freed by his abductors, who are confirmed to be guerrilla group ELN, although the faction stated earlier this week that they would begin the process to release him.
The former Porto man had trained ahead of the showdown with the Hatters, and having given Klopp the thumbs-up, he was included among the substitutes on Sunday evening, but Liverpool struggled to get going against the newly-promoted visitors.
Luton were on course for an upset when Tahith Chong finished off a sweeping counter-attack in the 80th minute, after which Diaz was introduced and dramatically levelled in injury time with a looping header into the bottom corner.
© Reuters
Diaz's celebrations were muted, although he lifted his shirt to reveal a message of support for his father, and Klopp was loath to rejoice in the winger's late leveller for too long while his father remains at the mercy of his abductors.
"It's emotional and it's fantastic. But the real problem is not sorted. We wanted to give – and he wanted as well – Lucho the opportunity to be a little bit distracted from the other things," Klopp said in his post-game press conference.
"He cannot do nothing, he is waiting all the time, the whole family is waiting all the time. And so he trained now a few times with us and he was then in a good mood, and that's good for him. I think the signs from Colombia are rather positive, optimistic but the one thing we all want to hear, it didn't happen yet.
"After the game no words were necessary. We just gave each other a hug. We know how he is – OK but desperately waiting for the right news. That's all. We had moments like this in the past.
"I understand 100 per cent that it's a nice story, honestly, and it's super-positive and great for him but these things go by. The real information we need is a different information."
© Reuters
Prior to Diaz's game-changing moment, Liverpool had failed to convert their plentiful periods of possession into anything meaningful, being denied by a combination of Thomas Kaminski and the woodwork in the first half.
Klopp was particularly irritated by a lack of counter-pressing from his team in the opening 45, something which the German admitted he took "personally" as his side failed to find their shooting boots.
"What I didn't like, particularly in the first half, was that we had 0.0 [per cent] counter-pressing and that is something I take personally, to be honest," the Reds boss added.
"I told the boys, it's not OK, but because I know that they actually want to do it the question is then why didn't they do it? So I have to figure that out. But I will, it's not rocket science probably but that I have to watch it back. I have enough time for that."
Following the end of their four-game winning run, Liverpool will aim to get back on track when they travel to Toulouse in Thursday's Europa League contest, three days before Brentford visit Anfield in the Premier League.
No Data Analysis info
