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Liverpool Champions League hero has been EXILED by Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Liverpool Champions League hero has been EXILED by Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Paul Macdonald 16 Sep 2024, 20:27 Last modified: 16 Sep 2024

Liverpool icon Divock Origi will not be involved in Liverpool and AC Milan’s Champions League clash on Tuesday, with the Belgian forward exiled to the reserves by Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Origi left Liverpool on a free transfer in 2022, after a brilliant Anfield career which included a Premier League win and a Champions League final goal when Liverpool won the trophy in Madrid.

Since leaving Merseyside he has struggled to find the form which led to Jurgen Klopp branding him a 'Liverpool legend', and naming his late winner amongst his top 10 moments as Liverpool manager, with a loan spell at Nottingham Forest failing to reignite his career.

Divock Origi banished by Milan

On his return to Milan, after managing just one goal for Forest, Milan’s senior club advisor and legendary forward, Ibrahimovic, confirmed Origi had been stripped of his squad number and was going to play for Milan Futuro, in the Italian third division.

So far this season, he is yet to make an appearance in this division, alongside Senegalese defender Fodé Ballo-Touré, who was also sent to the reserves.

© IMAGO - Nottingham Forest v Blackpool - Emirates FA Cup Third Round Divock Origi of Nottingham Forest is playing in the FA Cup Third Round match between Nottingham Forest and Blackpool at the City Ground in Nottingham, England, on January 7, 2024. Nottingham Nottinghamshire PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xMIxNewsx originalFilename:fletcher-nottingh240107_npW6h.jpg

As reported by CalcioMercato, Ibrahimovic stated in July: "Origi and Ballo-Touré have been called up, but they will play for Milan Futuro. They are not part of the first team project."

What next for Origi?

Origi did feature against the Reds off the bench for Nottingham Forest in Liverpool’s dramatic late win at the City Ground last season, however he will not feature in the clash between the two European heavyweights.

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Liverpool last visited San Siro in 2021, when they won 2-1, courtesy of a goal from Mohamed Salah, and a second-half winner by Origi himself.

Fabrizio Romano revealed in the summer that Origi had been given the green light by Milan to move to another club, with links coming from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

However, with those transfer windows now closed, it looks as though he will stay with Milan at least until January, when he can again move away from the club.