Klopp and Guardiola, face to face. Photo: AFP
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Monday disagreed with a statement by his Manchester City team-mate Pep Guardiola that everyone in the UK supports his team to win the league and considering the Spanish coach could carried by emotions when commenting.
“Nor I have no idea if the whole country supports us. It’s not how I feel when we go to other places to play, in reality it’s quite the opposite, ”Klopp said at a press conference before his club’s meeting on Tuesday with Dibu Martínez and Emiliano Buendía’s Aston Villa.
“I live in Liverpool and yes, a lot of people here want us to win the league, that’s true, but even here maybe only 50 were involved in another game, even until just yesterday,” he added.
Klopp came out at the intersection of what Guardiola said. Photo: Reuters
Klopp suggested that he might have seen Guardiola “influenced” when making his remarks on Sunday because of the emotions the sport is building, particularly after Manchester City’s defeat in the Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid (3-1) on May 4.
The German coach admitted he himself made emotional comments after Liverpool’s draw on Saturday against Tottenham (1-1), which put the club three points behind City-who beat Newcastle 5-0 last year. Sunday- in the English league.
“I don’t know what Pep’s situation isafter being eliminated in the Champions League, which in itself is hard to accept, but then Liverpool reached the final (of the Champions League), and then they would say things like: ‘They just face Villarreal and we are with Madrid ‘, and say what you say, “Klopp said.
Guardiola was left with a thorn in his eye after the elimination against Real Madrid. Photo: Reuters
Guardiola told Qatari channel beIN Sports yesterday “Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, in the media and around the world.”
“Of course, because Liverpool have an incredible history of competition in Europe, but not in the Premier League, because they’ve won one in 30 years, but that’s not a problem at all,” he maintained.
“We’ve been there for the last 11 or 12 years. I know sometimes we’re not comfortable, but I don’t care if people want Liverpool to win more than us. Not a problem.”
Prior to Tuesday’s appointment, Klopp said he could probably count on injured striker Roberto Firmino and stressed that his team is focused on trying to win the three remaining games in the English league.
Source: EFE
Source: Clarin
