Jurgen Klopp: what Liverpool boss said on Man City and what is xenophobia? Klopp’s response amid legal action

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has responded to claims he made xenophobic comments in relation to Manchester City. Klopp has made clear in comments he has issued since that he is not xenophobic.

The Reds enjoyed a 1-0 win over the Blues on Sunday 16 October with Mohamed Salah scoring the winning goal but the match offered far more chaos than simply the action on the pitch.

Klopp was criticised for shouting at the assistant referee during his team’s win over Pep Guardiola’s squad and has now faced claims of being xenophobia when he was asked about spending habits. The German manager has felt his side have been disadvantaged due to the spending limits for other clubs.

Klopp has since apologised and vowed to try and contain his touchline behaviour after being sent off for the first time during his seven years in charge of Liverpool. Speaking to the press afterwards, Klopp said: “It was my fault but it was not that it was a boring 0-0 and I stood there and went bonkers. There is no excuse, I don’t want an excuse, it happened and it was obvious as everyone saw it.”

What did Jurgen Klopp say?

Klopp was asked why Liverpool cannot compete with Manchester City in a press conference ahead of the fixture against City and said: “Oh, you won’t like the answer. You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with City in that. You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market. No matter what it costs, you just do it. I know City will not like it, nobody will like it, you’ve asked the question but you know the answer.

“What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer. There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially. It’s legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. They will say: ‘yeah but we have...’ but it’s exactly the fact. We have to look at it (and say): ‘We need that and have to look here and make it younger, and here a prospect and here a talent’ and that is what you have to do. And you compete with them.”

What is Xenophobia?

Xenophobia is a ‘dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.’

What has Klopp said in response?

Klopp has responded to these claims, saying: “In this specific case, I don’t feel it at all. I know myself. And you cannot hit with something which is miles away from my personality. If I was (xenophobic) like this I would hate it. I would hate myself for being like this.

“I have said a lot of times things that were a little bit open for misunderstanding. I know that. It was not intentional, just sometimes you say things and you think ‘Oh my God! It can be interpreted like this!’ but this is not one of these moments. Absolutely.”