Liverpool team news: Jurgen Klopp explains why Xherdan Shaqiri has been left out of squad for Red Star Belgrade trip

The Swiss international is not part of the 21-man squad heading to Serbia

Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool will go to Belgrade "focused 100 per cent on football" after choosing to leave Xherdan Shaqiri behind over concerns his presence in Serbia could cause political tensions.

Shaqiri was born in the Kosovan city of Gjilan in the former Yugoslavia before later emigrating to Switzerland, the country he represents at international level.

The 27-year-old provoked controversy at this summer’s World Cup when he celebrated a late winning goal against Serbia by making an ‘Albanian eagle’ gesture with his hands.

Tensions between the Albanian and Serbian populations within Kosovo have long existed and led in part to the Kosovo War in the late 1990s.

But despite that Klopp is keen to stress that the club aren't trying to make a political statement with their decision to leave the Swiss international at home.

“It’s a situation where we will go to the fantastic city of Belgrade as a football team to play football," Klopp told the club's official website.

“We have heard and read the speculation and talk about what kind of reception Shaq would receive and although we have no idea what would happen, we want to go there and be focused 100 per cent on football and not have to think about anything else, that’s all.

“We are Liverpool, a big club, a football team but we don’t have any message further than that. We have no political message, absolutely not. We want the focus to be on a great game of football, free from anything else.

“We are keen to be respectful and keen to avoid any distractions that would take focus away from a 90-minute-plus contest that is important for football and only football. So for that reason, Shaq is not involved and he accepts and understands this. Shaq is our player, we love him, and he will play for us a lot of times, but not on Tuesday.

Shaqiri's pro-Albania celebration at the World Cup provoked controversy (Reuters)

“I have heard so many wonderful things about the city of Belgrade, and the country of Serbia as a whole, from friends and colleagues who’ve visited before, so now I’m really looking forward to taking Liverpool there for a great game of Champions League football.”

Elsewhere Naby Keita and Dejan Lovren have been included in the 21-man travelling party after recovering from injuries but Jordan Henderson will remain at Melwood to continue his rehab from a hamstring issue.