Authorities are worried for Liverpool midfielder safety
By David Gate
Officials are preparing to protect Liverpool midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri in November when the Reds face Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
European away trips are often fraught for fans visiting foreign cities, vulnerable to attacks and violence. However there is one Liverpool player who may well face danger when the Reds take to the road in November. Xherdan Shaqiri has been put on notice.
Liverpool face Red Star Belgrade in Serbia on November 6th and the Swiss star could face the ire and anger of the local fans. Shaqiri has parents from Kosovan and Albanian descent which would already stoke worries for him playing in Serbia.
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Though those worries are dramatically increased after his celebration during the World Cup in Russia. The midfielder scored the winning goal for Switzerland in the last-minute against Serbia and proceeded to make a gesture that symbolizes the Albanian flag.
That was done to represent his heritage and to rub into the faces of the Serbs. Hence the worry for the player’s safety when the two sides meet in Belgrade in the first week of November.
Red Star have said they will do everything they can to keep the player safe and to be good hosts who protect the visiting player.
Shaqiri arrived at Anfield this summer in a £13.5 million deal from Stoke City after the Potters were relegated last season. He made his first appearance for the Reds on Saturday against Leicester City and the midfielder won praise for his cameo from the bench.
He was credited with helping Liverpool regain control of the game after Alisson Becker’s error allowed Leicester to half the deficit in the second half.
Next. Five Things We Learned From Leicester City Victory. dark
We will likely see more of the Swiss playmaker after the international break when the Reds have Champions League football and League Cup action taking the schedule to two games a week for most of the Autumn.