Father of Liverpool star Luis Diaz speaks out after kidnapping and 12 days as hostage

Luis Manuel Diaz, the father of Liverpool's star winger, will not leave Colombia despite being held by kidnappers for 12 days, he said in a press conference.

The dad of the Colombian international was reunited with his family on Thursday after he and his wife, Clienis Marulanda, were ambushed in their homeland on October 28.

Mrs Marulanda was found shaken but safe hours later - yet Mr Diaz remained a hostage for more than a week longer amid a huge search and rescue mission

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In the final moments of the ordeal for Diaz Sr, a helicopter carrying representatives of the Catholic Church, including the Bishop of Riohacha, Francisco Ceballos, landed in the mountains between Colombia and Venezuela to recover 'Mane' from his National Liberation Army of Colombia (ELN) captors.

Luis Diaz missed two Liverpool outings following the ordeal but the former FC Porto attacker returned to the squad to make an important contribution against Luton Town.

He then made his first start in Thursday's defeat to Toulouse FC - and Diaz Sr revealed he spoke to his son prior to the Europa League loss.

"I had the opportunity to greet him before he played a soccer match with his club [Liverpool’s Europa League loss at Toulouse on Thursday evening]," Mr Diaz said.

"And I was happy because I was already with my family, with my wife, with my son, with Luis’ mother-in-law, with Alejandro and with some people who accompanied us.

"[Diaz told me] to keep going because things don’t end here and to have a lot of strength to recover from everything that has happened."

Despite the ordeal over the last 12 days, Mane confirmed