Tag: Liverpool

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KLOPP DISAGREES WITH CAS RULING ON CITY’S UCL REINSTATEMENT

Liverpool Manager, Jurgen Klopp has criticised the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to overturn Manchester City’s Champions League ban, declaring: “I don’t think it was a good day for football”.


On Monday, the Switzerland-based body announced that a two-year ban imposed by Uefa for Financial Fair Play breaches would be lifted, with City instead only required to pay a fine of €10m for failing to cooperate.
The news represents something of a blow for clubs like Liverpool, whose owners have previously publicly backed FFP rules that have allowed them to bring success despite moderate spending on transfers.


And, while Klopp acknowledged that City’s reinstatement to European competition is good news for his team’s title chances next term, he expressed concern over the potential long-term consequences.


He said: “From a personal point of view, I’m happy City can play Champions League next year because, when I think about the league and City has 10-12 games less for resting players, I don’t see any chance for any teams in the league, honestly.


“Apart from that, I don’t wish anybody anything bad, but I don’t think it was a good day for football yesterday, to be honest.

“I think FFP is a good idea, it is there for protecting teams and the competition, that was the idea in the start so that nobody overspends and clubs have to make sure the money they want to spend is based on the right sources.


“I’m from Germany, I’m educated in a completely different system, we have different club structures not an owner-based system. It’s clear when you get the money from, before the season you get your licence and if you don’t get the licence then you can’t be part of the competition.


“It’s not up to me to judge this, I don’t, I only think that this FFP frame for all of us, we all should stick to, that’s what rules are for. I really hope FFP stays because it gives kind of some borders. I think that’s good for football.


“If you start doing that nobody cares at all then the richest people and countries can do what they want to do but it will make the competition really difficult. That would lead automatically to a world super league with 10 clubs.


“It would depend not on the clubs but on the people who own the clubs and they can play against each other.
“I think it makes sense that we have these kind of rules. But about the judgement yesterday, I don’t know enough or understand it properly why this was the judgement.”

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LIVERPOOL EXTEND DEJAN LOVREN’S CONTRACT DESPITE TRANSFER RUMOURS

Liverpool are set to activate an extension clause in Dejan Lovren’s contract.

The centre-back is the subject of interest from clubs like Zenit St Petersburg – but the Reds have an additional year option that which is supposedly in line to be taken up at the end of the transfer window.

Russian Premier League champions Zenit and others believe that Lovren only has one year left in his contract.

However, with Liverpool poised to activate the Croatian’s additional year option, it will mean he is effectively tied to the Reds until summer 2022 which may have an impact on his price tag.

Lovren, who arrived at Anfield from Southampton in 2014, was the subject of interest from both Roma and AC Milan last summer but a finalised deal never materialised.

Should the 31-year-old depart this term, he will do so with the best wishes of all at the club after a committed six years of service.

Lovren has so far made 185 appearances for Liverpool, scoring eight times and providing four assists from the heart of defence.

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LIVERPOOL GETS THIAGO BOOST AS BAYERN BEGINS SEARCH FOR THE SPANISH REPLACEMENT

Bayern Munich have reportedly identified two potential replacements for Liverpool transfer target Thiago Alcantara. The Reds are keen on signing Thiago this summer and the player has reportedly already agreed personal terms to link up with Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Thiago was poised to sign a new contract with Bayern before deciding on a U-turn following interest from Premier League champions Liverpool. Le 10 Sport claim Bayern are preparing for the potential departure of several midfielders, with Javi Martinez and Corentin Tolisso also tipped to leave the club. Bayern announced the signing of Tanguy Kouassi, but the former Paris Saint-Germain is still only a raw talent at 18 years old.

As a result, the German giants are now eager to raid two Premier League clubs for midfielders. Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko and Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele are attracting Bayern’s attention.

Bakayoko has struggled at Chelsea since a big-money move from Monaco in 2017 and has spent most of his time as a Blue out on loan. The Frenchman was hoping to join PSG or AC Milan and Chelsea are ready to listen to offers. Chelsea want around £31million for Bakayoko, but any deal for Ndombele is likely to be far more complicated.

Ndombele is Tottenham’s record signing and only joined Spurs last summer from Lyon in a £53.8m deal.

Though his debut season at Tottenham has not been perfect, the 23-year-old is still adapting to the Premier League and Jose Mourinho’s style of management. Bayern will be tempted to try and agree a loan deal with Tottenham, similar to the ones they struck with Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho and Real Madrid for James Rodriguez.

However, Tottenham will be wary by the fact Bayern decided against buying either midfielder when their loan deals expired. Bayern’s pursuit of midfielders, however, will be a boost for Liverpool and Thiago. Liverpool are not expected to do any major transfer business this summer and are hopeful of negotiating a knockdown price for the Brazilian star.

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“I LIKE HIM”: KLOPP REACTS TO TRANSFER LINKS WITH BAYERN’S THIAGO ALCANTARA

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has expressed his likeness for Bayern Munich’s Thiago Alcantara amidst heavy transfer links to the premier league champions.

After the win over Aston Villa, Klopp claimed that he doesn’t wish to answer transfer related questions. However, he did mention that Thiago is a very good player and he likes the Bayern Munich star.

Klopp said to Liverpool Echo: “Would you be surprised if I don’t give an answer on that, just because I never answer these kinds of questions. Thiago Alcantara is a really good player. Like a lot of other players out there, I like (him) a lot. But that’s all I have to say about that.”

It will be interesting to see if the 29-year-old ends up at Anfield this summer.

Liverpool could use a central midfielder of his quality and it would be a tremendous signing for them. He would add craft, flair and technical ability to their midfield. The Reds have been missing that extra bit of creativity from the middle since Philippe Coutinho’s departure.

Recent reports state that Thiago could cost around €35m. The player wants a new challenge now and a move to Anfield would be ideal for him as well.

The Reds are one of the best clubs in the world right now and they will be challenging for the Premier League and the Champions League next season. Thiago could certainly help them achieve those goals.

The only downside of the move is that Thiago is injury prone and his availability could be an issue over the course of the season. If he can stay fit, he could prove to be a world-class signing for Liverpool.

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Liverpool maintain 100 percent home record with win over Aston Villa

Following their 4-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City on Thursday, Juergen Klopp’s side struggled to break down a determined Villa.

Liverpool made it 17 wins out of 17 at Anfield after goals by Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones handed the champions a 2-0 win over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday which pushed Dean Smith’s side deeper into trouble.

Following their 4-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City on Thursday, Juergen Klopp’s side struggled to break down a determined Villa.

Klopp fielded another strong side but with the ground empty and the title already in the bag, there was a lack of edge to Liverpool’s play.

The visitors’ were solid and organised and could even have gone ahead in the 52nd minute when Anwar El Ghazi forced a fine save out of Alisson.

But Mane broke the deadlock in the 71st minute, meeting a low ball from Naby Keita with a firm shot that rattled in off the underside of the cross-bar.

Following their 4-0 mauling at the hands of Manchester City on Thursday, Juergen Klopp’s side struggled to break down a determined Villa.

Klopp fielded another strong side but with the ground empty and the title already in the bag, there was a lack of edge to Liverpool’s play.

The visitors’ were solid and organised and could even have gone ahead in the 52nd minute when Anwar El Ghazi forced a fine save out of Alisson.

But Mane broke the deadlock in the 71st minute, meeting a low ball from Naby Keita with a firm shot that rattled in off the underside of the cross-bar.

Substitute Jones scored the second, a minute from the end, with the 19 year old hooking home after Mohamed Salah headed an Andy Robertson cross into his path.

The goal was Jones’ first in the Premier League and came a day after he signed a new five-year contract with the club.

“That’s Curtis in a nutshell. He signed a new contract yesterday which is good for him and good for us. We’ll have a lot of fun with him,” said Klopp.

Liverpool are now unbeaten in their last 57 Premier League home games with 47 wins and 10 draws and they have won 24 home games in a row.

Klopp said the blustery conditions at Anfield had impacted the game.

Liverpool not focused on records, says Juergen Klopp

Liverpool are on course to beat Manchester City’s mark of 100 points in a Premier League campaign but the champions are not focused on breaking records, manager Juergen Klopp has said.

Liverpool, who won 2-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday thanks to goals by Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones, need 12 points from their final five games to beat City’s tally from the 2017-18 season.

“We didn’t come here and have the numbers we have because we thought about breaking records. We were always focused 100% on the game and that will not change,” said Klopp, whose side made it 17 wins out of 17 games at Anfield this season.

“If we want to have record points pretty much we have to win all the games, it’s not complicated. The boys know it and it’s not necessary to mention it to this group.”

Liverpool next visit 15th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday.

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WE ARE NOT AFTER THE RECORD – KLOPP

Liverpool are on course to beat Manchester City’s mark of 100 points in a Premier League campaign but the champions are not focused on breaking records, manager Juergen Klopp has said.

Liverpool, who won 2-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday thanks to goals by Sadio Mane and Curtis Jones, need 12 points from their final five games to beat City’s tally from the 2017-18 season.

“We didn’t come here and have the numbers we have because we thought about breaking records. We were always focused 100% on the game and that will not change,” said Klopp, whose side made it 17 wins out of 17 games at Anfield this season.

“If we want to have record points pretty much we have to win all the games, it’s not complicated. The boys know it and it’s not necessary to mention it to this group.”

Liverpool next visit 15th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday.

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Manchester City honour Liverpool, then hammer them

Manchester City generously applauded new champions Liverpool onto the field before their Premier League match on Thursday — and promptly showed no mercy by thrashing them 4-0 at the Etihad stadium.

Manchester City generously applauded new champions Liverpool onto the field before their Premier League match on Thursday — and promptly showed no mercy by thrashing them 4-0 at the Etihad stadium.

With the title secured a week ago, there was little at stake for Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool side who showed far from their usual levels of intensity but the loss, just their second of the league campaign, was an emphatic reminder that City will be desperate to regain their crown next season.

Klopp was quick to defend his team’s attitude, rejecting any suggestion they had taken the game lightly.

“I saw a brilliant attitude. I saw fight. We didn’t behave like somebody who became champions a week ago. We lacked fluidity. And in some 50-50 situations they were quicker than us,” he said.

“Man City are incredible. I saw their season, they didn’t play a bad game even when they lost,” he said.

After the guard of honour, which included City manager Pep Guardiola, the visitors started brightly and Ederson had to be alert to keep out a fourth-minute effort from Mohamed Salah.

Salah then struck the post after a clever pass from Roberto Firmino, whose hair was coloured red, but if Liverpool thought they were in for another night of festivities, they were in for a rude awakening.

Joe Gomez could not cope with Raheem Sterling’s twisting and turning in the box, pulling him to the ground before Kevin De Bruyne converted the penalty in the 25th minute.

Sterling doubled the lead 10 minutes later when after a swift break, Phil Foden found him inside the box and the ex-Liverpool forward cut inside Gomez and slid the ball home.

The 20-year-old Foden made it 3-0, firing past Alisson after a swift exchange with Kevin De Bruyne.

City were showing an unusual willingness to play long balls and after Rodri launched a pass deep to De Bruyne, the Belgian found Sterling inside the box and he slipped the ball goalwards, with substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s outstretched touch only turning it into his own net.

It could have been even worse for Liverpool with Riyad Mahrez’s fine solo effort in the final moments but VAR spotted a handball by Foden in the build-up.

“We beat the champions, an extraordinary team,” Guardiola said.

“We tried to play football, take risks against the best team I have ever faced in my life at high pressing,” he added.

“They drank a lot of beers this week but they arrived here with no beers in their blood which is why I give us a lot of credit.”

The loss was the joint-heaviest defeat by a side already crowned Premier League champions. Arsenal were beaten 4-0 at Liverpool in 1997-98 in the game after they clinched the title.

Klopp and Guardiola defend Liverpool’s attitude after 4-0 loss

Juergen Klopp and Pep Guardiola insisted that Liverpool had been fully focused and hadn’t taken their foot off the gas, despite Manchester City’s comfortable 4-0 win over the newly crowned champions at the Etihad on Thursday.

City looked sharper and hungrier for most of the game, taking a 3-0 lead by half-time, while Klopp’s Liverpool were well below their usual levels of intensity.

Liverpool had previously lost only one league game this season, leading some observers to suggest last week’s title win – their first in 30 years – and subsequent celebrations had affected play on Thursday.

But manager Klopp was having none of it.

“If you want to lead this story in the direction that we we’re not focused, then do it,” Klopp said. “I liked my teams’ attitude – I saw a brilliant attitude – I saw boys who were fighting with all they have.

“It has nothing to do with last week, to be honest. It hurts like defeats hurt. What I wanted to see tonight was a team who is ready to fight against Man City, who obviously had a point to prove,” the German said.

If there is a team in the world that can smash us like this, it is probably City but we will come again. Make a few things better and it could look differently, but for tonight that is it,” he added.

City manager Guardiola said there was no question of Liverpool having suffered any kind of ‘hangover’ from their title win.

“I think they drunk a lot of beer the last week, but they were here with no beer in their blood and to win this game,” the Spaniard said.

“I saw a team with incredible focus, with energy and a desire to win the game, and I saw from the first minute they were focused to play hard,” he added.

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Klopp says liverpool wont sign players

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he cannot spend “millions and millions” on squad reinforcements for his newly-crowned Premier League champions but does not believe he will need to.

The effect of the coronavirus outbreak is likely to have a significant impact on transfer activity for the majority of clubs this summer but Klopp insists even if he had a significant war chest to spend, it would not necessarily be the easiest or right thing to do.

Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years was achieved by a squad four years in the making and while the Reds boss will obviously look to strengthen – especially with the likely departures of fringe players Xherdan Shaqiri and Adam Lallana, to name two – he thinks it will be difficult to make significant improvements.

The club have already stepped aside in deciding not to compete with Chelsea for the £50m signing of RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner.

“Covid has of course influenced both sides with ins and outs, that is completely normal, and it’s just not likely that it will be the most busy summer in the world,” Klopp said.

“But maybe at a later point in the year, if the transfer window is still open, we will know more. But this squad… look at it.

“It is not a squad you have to change now and say ‘OK, we need this position and this position’.

“We don’t have a first XI, I say we have a first 16 or 17, they can all play to the same level. But we have to use this, 100 per cent.

“We cannot spend millions and millions and millions because we want to or we think it is nice to do. We never wanted that.”

Since the £65m purchase of Alisson Becker – then a world-record fee for a goalkeeper – in the summer of 2018, Liverpool’s spending has been modest and minimal.

Youngsters Harvey Elliott (whose fee from Fulham has to be decided by tribunal) and Sepp Van Den Berg (£1.3m) have been joined by Adrian (free) and Takumi Minamino (£7.25m).

During that time, the club has invested in longer contracts for their key personnel, meaning they spent a Premier League-high £30m on agents fees last year.

Klopp suggested the continued rise of youngsters within and around the first team deserves further exploration.

The likes of Wales Under-19 international Neco Williams becoming Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deputy and exciting Liverpool-born academy graduate Curtis Jones and fellow young forward Elliott fully integrating themselves into the team remains a realistic possibility.

“We want to strengthen this squad and this squad is strong. The problem with a strong squad is how do you improve a strong squad in the transfer market?” added Klopp.

“It works with money, obviously, that is possible. But it never works only with money.

“You have to be creative and we try to be creative. We try to find solutions internally and there is still a lot to come: we have three or four players who can make big steps.”

Barely had Liverpool been crowned champions following Manchester City’s defeat at Chelsea last Thursday and questions were being asked about whether this was the start of a new era of domination, last seen under Sir Alex Ferguson with arch-rivals Manchester United, Klopp knows the expectation will be greater on his side next season but insists he will not even think about defending their title.

“I have heard people say it is only a real thing if we win twice in a row, but that is really funny. That is obviously an English thing,” he said.

“When we (former club, Borussia Dortmund) became champions in 2011, nobody told us we had to become champions again.

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Liverpool lead net spend on agent fees

The FA says Premier League clubs spent £263m on intermediary and agents’ fees between February 1 2019 and January 31 2020.

Premier League leaders Liverpool were the biggest spenders, paying £30.3m over the 12-month period in question.

Next in the list were the Manchester clubs. with City spending £29m and United parting with £27.6m.

Chelsea (£26.2) were the other club to spend more than £20m.

The lowest spenders were Burnley, who only paid £3.9m, with Norwich (£4.9m) and Sheffield United (£4.3) also spending less than £5m.

Championship clubs paid out £49m on intermediary and agents’ fees for the same period but the figures were a lot smaller further down the pyramid.

League One clubs paid £3.9m, League Two clubs £1.7m and just £319,000 was spent by clubs in the National League and below.

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Liverpool clinch league Title

Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a top-flight title is over after Manchester City lost 2-1 at Chelsea to confirm the Reds as Premier League champions.

Jurgen Klopp’s side needed one victory to seal the league but City’s failure to win means they cannot be caught.

It is Liverpool’s 19th top-flight title and their first since 1989-90.

Despite being urged to “stay home” by the city’s metro mayor because of coronavirus, thousands of fans gathered at Anfield to celebrate.

Many of the supporters who congregated at the club’s ground wore face masks and some lit flares.

A number of Reds players, including goalkeeper Alisson, defender Virgil van Dijk and midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, celebrated together after watching the Chelsea-City game.

Klopp, wearing a Liverpool shirt and clearly emotional, told Sky Sports: “I have no words, it’s unbelievable.

“It’s much more than I ever thought would be possible. Becoming champion with this club is absolutely incredible.

“I haven’t waited 30 years – I have been here for four and a half years – but it is quite an achievement, especially with the three-month break because nobody knew if we could go on.

“I know it is difficult for people in this moment but we could not hold back. We will enjoy this with our supporters when we can.”