Liverpool will lose Wataru Endo at the start of 2024 as he leads Japan in the AFC Asian Cup, just as they will with Mohamed Salah.
Do international competitions in the middle of the season really need to exist?
Last season, the domestic schedule was suspended by the World Cup, but teams with players competing in the Asian Cup or the Africa Cup of Nations will not have the same luxury.
Mid-January marks the beginning of both tournaments, and it is the former that will see Endo fly to Qatar to represent Japan as they attempt to improve on their second-place performance from the previous year.
Typically,Players would depart up to a week before the start of the competition, and for Endo this would be January 5, as we have seen with Salah and other AFCON participants.
If replays and future cup appearances are taken into account, the midfielder, like Salah, could miss up to 10 Liverpool games if he once again advanced to the final.
Endo might miss some games for the Asian Cup.
DOHA, QATAR – November 27, 2022:
Wataru Endo of Japan during the Costa Rica vs. Japan World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match at the Ahmad Bin Ali
Stadium. 1-0 was the victory for Costa Rica. (Propaganda image by David Rawcliffe)
January 6–7: Third round of the FA Cup
Potential League Cup semifinal, January 9–10, first leg
January in Bournemouth, England 13
Potential FA Cup third round replay – January 16/17
Potential League Cup semi-final 2nd leg – January 22/23
Potential FA Cup fourth round – January 27
Chelsea (H) – January 31
Arsenal (A) – February 3
Potential FA Cup fourth round replay – February 6/7
Burnley (H) – February 10
The Asian Cup, which is being hosted by Qatar—the previous champion—begins on January 12 and lasts through February 10—a schedule that is not too dissimilar from that of the AFCON (Jan. 13–Feb. 11).
Vietnam (Jan. 14), Iraq (Jan. 19), and Indonesia (Jan. 24) are the opponents Endo’s side will face in Group D.
One may anticipate that the new signing will miss the most of the aforementioned games because Japan is one of the favorites to win the title.
The success of Liverpool in their cup tournaments will be crucial, but reaching the final will ensure a four-game suspension from the Premier League (Bournemouth, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Burnley).
Even though the loss of Endo and Salah is less than five months away, it is far from ideal for Jurgen Klopp.
