In anticipation of an extremely short turnaround next week the customarily imperturbable Reds coach flew off the handle at broadcasters.<\/p>\n
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has let loose at British broadcasters for not adjusting their schedules\u00a0to accommodate the coronavirus pandemic, claiming they don’t care about player welfare.<\/p>\n
The Reds are set to play in the Champions League\u00a0on Wednesday night against Atalanta\u00a0before being forced to play\u00a0the midday match on Saturday against Brighton\u00a0in the Premier League.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Speaking post-match, Klopp berated broadcasters, calling on them to\u00a0ensure clubs aren’t being forced to play so many games in a compressed period of time.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and Saturday (at) 12:30, I’m not sure if we\u00a0will finish the season with 11 players.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“I don’t talk about Liverpool, I talk about all the football players out there. Yesterday, (Gerard)\u00a0Pique massive knee injury. Today, (Bukayo) Saka, maybe, I\u2019m not sure, a knee injury\u00a0– he played all three games for England\u00a0during the international break.<\/p>\n
“Now people tell us to rotate players but who? We have some offensive players but the rest are kids.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
In response to Klopp’s charges, the interviewer on Sky brought up the contracts that clubs agreed with broadcasters \u2013 a subject that touched a nerve with Klopp.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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!”<\/p>\n
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had also previously called for early Saturday games to be scrapped altogether\u00a0after his side were forced to play the fixture after the international break.<\/p>\n
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