In anticipation of an extremely short turnaround next week the customarily imperturbable Reds coach flew off the handle at broadcasters.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has let loose at British broadcasters for not adjusting their schedules to accommodate the coronavirus pandemic, claiming they don’t care about player welfare.
The Reds are set to play in the Champions League on Wednesday night against Atalanta before being forced to play the midday match on Saturday against Brighton in the Premier League.
With Klopp’s side already short on players due to injuries, the Reds suffered another casualty on Sunday after Naby Keita was forced off in their 3-0 win against Leicester City.
Speaking post-match, Klopp berated broadcasters, calling on them to ensure clubs aren’t being forced to play so many games in a compressed period of time.
“It was never about us when I talked about it, it was about all the players. If you don’t start talking to BT (Sport) we are all done,” Klopp told Sky Sports.
“Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and Saturday (at) 12:30, I’m not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players.
“I know you (the broadcasters) don’t care and that’s the problem. We’ve discussed it for a long time and nothing’s happened.
“I don’t talk about Liverpool, I talk about all the football players out there. Yesterday, (Gerard) Pique massive knee injury. Today, (Bukayo) Saka, maybe, I’m not sure, a knee injury – he played all three games for England during the international break.
“Now people tell us to rotate players but who? We have some offensive players but the rest are kids.
“It’s a massive problem. Wednesday and Saturday 12:30 is a broadcaster problem and nothing else. We play against Atalanta on Wednesday and then 12:30 (Saturday) against Brighton. It’s an early Christmas present. We will show up there shaking. I think about sending the points. That’s how it is.”
In response to Klopp’s charges, the interviewer on Sky brought up the contracts that clubs agreed with broadcasters – a subject that touched a nerve with Klopp.
“Gentlemen, start talking and making decisions. I like the relationship with you. If someone tells me again about contracts I’ll go really nuts. Because these contracts aren’t made for a Covid season,” Klopp continued.
“We all have to adapt. Everything’s changed, but the contracts with the broadcasters is still: ‘We have this, so we keep this’. What? Everything changed, the whole world changed!”
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had also previously called for early Saturday games to be scrapped altogether after his side were forced to play the fixture after the international break.
Credit: Football Tribe Malaysia
