Jürgen Klopp has reiterated that the decision over Philippe Coutinho’s future is down to the Liverpool owners, not him.

Coutinho will not play in the first leg of Liverpool’s Champions League playoff tie at Hoffenheim on Tuesday as he is suffering from a back complaint, but uncertainty over the Brazilian’s future has still dominated the build-up.

Last Friday, Liverpool issued a strongly-worded statement insisting Coutinho would not be sold this summer, only for the player to submit a transfer request in a bid to force through a move to Barcelona.

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Shape Created with Sketch. Watford vs Liverpool player ratings Show all 22 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Watford vs Liverpool player ratings 1/22 Heurelho Gomes - 4 out of 10 Gave away a penalty and was caught in no man’s land for Liverpool’s third. Getty Images 2/22 Daryl Janmaat - 5 out of 10 Substituted early with what looked like a dead leg. Getty Images 3/22 Younis Kaboul - 5 out of 10 Allowed Firmino to run off him for Liverpool’s third. Getty Images 4/22 Jose Holebas - 6 out of 10 Marshalled Salah well in the first half but didn’t enjoy the same success after the break. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 5/22 Miguel Britos - 7 out of 10 More competent than his central-defensive partner and snatched an equaliser in injury time. Getty Images 6/22 Nordin Amrabat - 6 out of 10 Not good, not bad. A middle-of-the-road performance by a hard-working player. AFP/Getty Images 7/22 Tom Cleverley - 7 out of 10 Heavily involved in Watford’s second goal. A solid midfield display. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 8/22 Nathaniel Chalobah 5 - out of 10 A game that passed the former Chelsea youngster by. Rarely involved. Getty Images 9/22 Abdoulaye Doucoure - 7 out of 10 In the right place at the right time for Watford’s second goal. Always keen to get on the ball. Getty Images 10/22 Roberto Pereyra - 6 out of 10 A tidy first-half display before injury forced him off shortly after the break. Getty Images 11/22 Stefano Okaka 6 out of 10 Made no mistake with a header to put Watford into the lead. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 12/22 Simon Mignolet - 5 out of 10 Helpless for all three of Watford’s goals. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 13/22 Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7 out of 10 Some superb set pieces from the young right-back. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 14/22 Dejan Lovren - 5 out of 10 Still yet to display anything like the form he showed at Southampton in a red shirt. Getty 15/22 Joel Matip - 6 out of 10 Part of an unorganised defence but almost put the game out of sight for the Reds with a header off the crossbar. Getty 16/22 Alberto Moreno - 6 out of 10 A much better opening-day display than last season. Actually looks like a real-life left-back. AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Emre Can - 6 out of 10 A couple of glimpses of real quality but clearly not yet the finished article. Bongarts/Getty Images 18/22 Jordan Henderson - 5 out of 10 Lost Cleverley for Watford’s second goal. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 19/22 Georginio Wijnaldum - 6 out of 10 Industrious as ever in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield. Getty 20/22 Mohamed Salah - 7 out of 10 A poor first half but he made up for it with a goal and an assist in the second. Getty 21/22 Sadio Mane - 7 out of 10 Always a nuisance and provided the match’s real moment of magic for Liverpool’s opener. AFP/Getty Images 22/22 Roberto Firmino - 7 out of 10 See Salah’s rating. Getty Images 1/22 Heurelho Gomes - 4 out of 10 Gave away a penalty and was caught in no man’s land for Liverpool’s third. Getty Images 2/22 Daryl Janmaat - 5 out of 10 Substituted early with what looked like a dead leg. Getty Images 3/22 Younis Kaboul - 5 out of 10 Allowed Firmino to run off him for Liverpool’s third. Getty Images 4/22 Jose Holebas - 6 out of 10 Marshalled Salah well in the first half but didn’t enjoy the same success after the break. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 5/22 Miguel Britos - 7 out of 10 More competent than his central-defensive partner and snatched an equaliser in injury time. Getty Images 6/22 Nordin Amrabat - 6 out of 10 Not good, not bad. A middle-of-the-road performance by a hard-working player. AFP/Getty Images 7/22 Tom Cleverley - 7 out of 10 Heavily involved in Watford’s second goal. A solid midfield display. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 8/22 Nathaniel Chalobah 5 - out of 10 A game that passed the former Chelsea youngster by. Rarely involved. Getty Images 9/22 Abdoulaye Doucoure - 7 out of 10 In the right place at the right time for Watford’s second goal. Always keen to get on the ball. Getty Images 10/22 Roberto Pereyra - 6 out of 10 A tidy first-half display before injury forced him off shortly after the break. Getty Images 11/22 Stefano Okaka 6 out of 10 Made no mistake with a header to put Watford into the lead. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 12/22 Simon Mignolet - 5 out of 10 Helpless for all three of Watford’s goals. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 13/22 Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7 out of 10 Some superb set pieces from the young right-back. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 14/22 Dejan Lovren - 5 out of 10 Still yet to display anything like the form he showed at Southampton in a red shirt. Getty 15/22 Joel Matip - 6 out of 10 Part of an unorganised defence but almost put the game out of sight for the Reds with a header off the crossbar. Getty 16/22 Alberto Moreno - 6 out of 10 A much better opening-day display than last season. Actually looks like a real-life left-back. AFP/Getty Images 17/22 Emre Can - 6 out of 10 A couple of glimpses of real quality but clearly not yet the finished article. Bongarts/Getty Images 18/22 Jordan Henderson - 5 out of 10 Lost Cleverley for Watford’s second goal. Liverpool FC via Getty Images 19/22 Georginio Wijnaldum - 6 out of 10 Industrious as ever in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield. Getty 20/22 Mohamed Salah - 7 out of 10 A poor first half but he made up for it with a goal and an assist in the second. Getty 21/22 Sadio Mane - 7 out of 10 Always a nuisance and provided the match’s real moment of magic for Liverpool’s opener. AFP/Getty Images 22/22 Roberto Firmino - 7 out of 10 See Salah’s rating. Getty Images

Klopp said after Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Watford that any decision on Coutinho would be made by his “bosses” and though he was willing to answer questions regarding the 25-year-old, he reiterated his stance.

“It is not that I don’t want to speak, it is that I can’t change my answers,” Klopp said.

“I am 100 per cent, really, 100 per cent – I don’t ask for things I can’t get and I respect the rules in the game. If they say they will bid whatever, we don’t want it, then it is a clear message.

“We don’t want money, we want to invest in the team and have the best team because we have our aims and dreams. That is the message. So whatever I think on this is not important. It's not important what I think.

“I have the player from the 31 August latest, again, or when the back issue is sorted. There is nothing else I can say about it. I think I said ‘I have bosses’ right? I have many bosses, including my wife. I can live with this, it's no problem. They are 100 per cent clear on it, there is nothing else to say.”

As well as Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge was also left at home for Tuesday's play-off while he recovers from a hamstring injury, but Klopp believes the striker could return for Saturday's Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace.

“Sturridge is in a good way, he was really close [to being available]," Klopp said. “Two more sessions and he will be ready for the weekend.”

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