former liverpool Defender Dominic Matteo Reveals heartbreak Over Swift Transfer After New Contract
LIVERPOOL – Dominic Matteo has recounted the shock and disappointment of being sold by Liverpool just days after signing a new five-year contract, an experiance he described as “heartbreaking.” The revelation came during a recent interview with the Liverpool Echo, where Matteo detailed the circumstances surrounding his 2000 move to Leeds United.
Matteo, a central defender who joined Liverpool in 1998, was offered a long-term deal despite a pre-existing knee injury. “We did a medical, and everyone knew I wasn’t going to pass it,” Matteo explained. “But we did it anyway just to check. And,yeah,I had a little tear in my knee.” He remarkably played his final Liverpool game – a 5-0 victory over Parma at Anfield – with the injury,stating,”I could have played on with that. I played my last game for Liverpool against Parma at Anfield. We won 5-0 and I played that day with it and it was fine. I just cracked on with it.”
Despite the injury, and a sense that his time at Anfield was nearing its end, the swiftness of the transfer still stung. “But I kind of knew that might have been my last game for Liverpool at that moment. So we battered Parma and then I kind of knew that was my big time up, before the move to the Pennines and a chance to go into the Champions league.”
Matteo’s move to Leeds presented an opportunity to compete in the Champions League, a factor in his decision to accept the transfer despite his affection for Liverpool.
Matteo spoke to the ECHO on behalf of EPIC Global Solutions, a leading provider of gambling harm prevention and awareness programmes.
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This article was first published in November 2024.
