Jurgen Klopp has told Philippe Coutinho he will not be involved in the game at Manchester City.
But the Liverpool manager has told his rebel midfielder he will be offered a route back into the first team eventually, IF he proves himself smart enough to put the controversy of the plot to force a move to Barcelona behind him.
Many expected the German coach to offer instant salvation to the Brazilian, by at least putting him on the bench for the visit to one of the Reds' biggest rivals for the Premier League title.
But despite insisting everything is now forgotten after the transfer window closed with Liverpool resisting Barca's £100m-plus bid to land Coutinho, Klopp made clear he will call the shots over the player's return.
The manager revealed he had a heart to heart with the player on his return from international duty, when he said: “We had a very good talk, he was in a very good mood and training was even better.
”But I had to make the decision (to leave him out). We have seven games in the next three weeks so there will not be the time to train.
“We had this conversation. Before he went to Brazil he couldn't train for about three weeks so that means we need to try to prepare him for the rest of the season and that is quite difficult with our schedule.
“So I decided to leave him out of the squad for City so we can use these four or five days for proper training.
“He played twice, about 15-20 minutes (in each of Brazil's two games) and could have played 15-20 minutes in the City game, maybe longer, but I think it makes sense.
“He agreed completely. It was not as if he said 'No, I don't need training, I want to play'. It was a good conversation.”
Klopp will now assess the mindset of his midfield star before deciding if he will play in the midweek Champions' League visit of Sevilla.
But he insisted Coutinho will be welcomed back with open arms if he continues with the good attitude he's shown since flying back from international duty with Brazil on Wednesday.
The German was asked if things would never be the same between Liverpool and Coutinho, and he replied: “You have to go through these times and things can be good if you are smart enough to start again.
“I can explain it a little: Maybe a few of you have had a split in a good relationship, with the wife or whatever, and it is not good to think about the time you were split.
“It was not the most easy time but that is the transfer window and that is the only time players and clubs can make transfers. But nothing I am aware of was unforgivable. It is a normal thing.
“It is not the first time and it won't be the last time in history when similar things will happen.
“I really think we handled it really well. Not all the things in newspapers were 100 per cent right but it is normal a lot of things were coming up in a situation like this.”
Klopp said that as far as he has seen in one coaching session, Coutinho looks as good as he did before Barca's bid became public.
“He came in yesterday, accepted 100 per cent the situation – I didn't even have to say anything about it,” he added.
“We don't know how long he will play for the club so there is absolutely no problem and I am completely fine with this situation.
“He looks like he is the same Philippe. The most important thing is no-one told me anything where I thought 'Oh, that is too much'.
“There was another pretty big club and they wanted to have a player from us and there was a club decision.
“You can't say 'no' and it stops in one day, that's how it is.
“I said yesterday in the dressing room 'Boys, welcome two new players: Alex (deadline-day signing Oxlade-Chamberlain) and Phil.
“He loves football and he still loves this club so there is no problem.
“The only thing to do now is to bring him into the shape before he was before the back problems because he played outstanding football in Hong Kong.
“Now we have to get him back in this situation as quick as possible.”