Naby Keïta hits back at Werder Bremen accusations as former Liverpool star issues statement

Former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keïta, who signed for Werder Bremen on a free transfer last summer, was criticized by the German side this weekend for supposedly refusing to play. But the Guinean has now hit back at those claims.

After he was named on the bench for the trip to play Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen, Keïta refused to get on the team bus to travel to the game, according to Werder Bremen sporting director Clemens Fritz. But the 29-year-old has denied such an accusation and insisted that he wants the best for the German outfit moving forward.

"After Naby found out yesterday that he would not be playing from the start, he decided not to get on the bus but to go home," Fritz had said. "We will talk to him and his agent tomorrow about the consequences and how to proceed."

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But Keïta issued a statement on Sunday that refutes those claims. He took to Instagram to give his side of the story and suggested that Fritz was trying to paint him in a bad light.

"I wish to clarify my situation at my club Werder Bremen," Keïta wrote. "Ever since I arrived at this magnificent club, I have always shown my professionalism. I have always tried to help the club and the great supporters, especially during this time of poor results.

"Since the start of my career, I have never had problems with my discipline and have always shown an exemplary attitude. I will not accept any person trying to tarnish my image.

"To the supporters, I have always worked hard in training to get the right result at the weekend. In training, I can only give my best. And to my teammates, good luck for the match."

Keïta has only played a total of 106 minutes for Werder Bremen since moving back to Germany in the summer of 2023. All of that time has come in the Bundesliga but his only start came at the beginning of October and he has barely featured since.

In 2024, Keïta has only played 26 minutes of action. For some of the year, he was at AFCON, and for part of it, he has been injured. But even when available for selection, the former RB Leipzig star has been left on the bench four times during this calendar year.