Liverpool defender gets presidential seal of approval
Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan has got the Presidential seal of approval ahead of the Champions League final.
The Estonian national received a visit from his nation’s leader Kersti Kaljulaid, who had visited the Donetsk region of Ukraine with Hennadiy Zubko – the country’s deputy prime minister and minister of regional development, construction, and housing and communal services.
Kalijulaid is the first foreign leader to make a trip to the war-torn Donbas, wrote the Kyiv Post, and she also made time to pose with Klavan as the Reds prepare to take on Real Madrid on Saturday evening.
Despite becoming a cult figure during his time at Anfield, it’s unlikely that the former Bundesliga center-back will be required for the match.
"Estonian president with Klavan in Kiev from LiverpoolFC"
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If all goes to plan, Virgil van Dijk will be joined by Dejan Lovren at the heart of the defence – but you never know. And if one of the two (please don’t make it be Virgil) has to pull out, you can be sure that Klavan will give it his all.
The 32-year-old has featured 19 times in the Premier League this campaign as well as playing in seven Champions League fixtures. Klavan has a wealth of experience thanks to his 124 international caps and is well traveled, having featured in five different nations.
After starting his career with FC Elva in Estonia, the defender switched to Norway and ran out for Valerenga before spells in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar and Heracles.
FC Augsburg came calling next, and Klavan’s four year spell there earned him the move to Liverpool after manager Jurgen Klopp identified the man as a good fit for a squad role.
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In non-football matters, Kaljulaid is the head of a nation that has 100 females to every 84 men. It’s also one of Europe’s most spacious nations and has the fifth smallest population density on the continent – said the Telegraph.