Lionel Messi disagrees with Jurgen Klopp about the opinion that upset Sadio Mane

Lionel Messi disagreed with Jurgen Klopp about his favorite Liverpool player to win the Ballon d’Or last season.

Klopp publicly endorsed Virgil van Dijk to take home the coveted award, an opinion that, according to France Football, “upset” Sadio Mane.

But Messi, who won the award for the sixth time, believed that Mane was Liverpool’s most outstanding artist in the 2018/19 campaign.

“It’s a shame to see Mane finish fourth,” Messi told Canal + after taking home the top prize ahead of Van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo.

“But I think there have been a lot of great players this year. So it was difficult to choose a particular player. But I chose Sadio Mane because he is a player that I like.”

“Mane achieved a great year that was exceptional for everything Liverpool team.

“That’s why I chose him. I repeat, there were a lot of very good players this year, so the choice was difficult.”

Mane has been linked to a move away from Liverpool before the summer window, with firm Real Madrid favorites to catch him.

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Zinedine Zidane has reportedly made Senegal his main target, and is ready to part with £ 150 million to make the transfer happen.

Meanwhile, Liverpool have linked up with a handful of forwards if Mane decides to leave Anfield to go to the Bernabeu.

German international Timo Werner is said to be on Liverpool’s wish list alongside World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe.