Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool manager admits some colleagues thought he would be suspended from the touchline for more than one game
Jurgen Klopp will serve a sideline suspension in Liverpool’s game against Aston Villa on Saturday; Klopp admitted some of his colleagues expected him to be suspended for more games; The German will watch from the stands, but is allowed contact with his bench
Jurgen Klopp admits he expected more of a secondary suspension for his comments about referee Paul Tierney and wondered ‘where does the money go’ after he was also fined £75,000.
The German manager has been banned from Saturday’s game against Aston Villa after saying Tierney had “something against us” following Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham last month.
Klopp was also handed another one-game ban on the touchline, suspended until the end of next season provided he does not relapse.
The Liverpool manager was already serving a sideline ban this season when he watched from the stands against Southampton after being sent off against Manchester City.
Reacting to his recent ban, Klopp said in his pre-Aston Villa press conference: “From what we know and could hear, I was expecting a penalty.” “I’d like to know, as always, where the (good) money goes. If it’s for a good cause, then I’m more than happy to pay it; if not, (and) should the FA keep it, we talk about it and I think it’s a little hard.
“But other than that, people around me were pretty negative. They thought it could take longer!
“It’s a match, it’s like the Southampton match, it will be the same process. I can watch the match from a better position and be in contact with my coaches.”
Klopp will watch the Aston Villa match from the stands and will be in telephone contact with Vitor Matos, one of his collaborators behind the scenes. However, the Liverpool manager joked that his voice could reach his players from afar if they didn’t back down.
When asked what the differences were between managing the sidelines and managing in the stands, Klopp replied: “No one is going to scream like me if he doesn’t come back in the 70th minute and things like that. I sit away, but when the game isn’t on.” Well, I could. At least my voice is good.”
More seriously, Klopp then said: “Not much. I’m really in contact with Vito, he will have to use the headset to make calls. “We can talk about anything, substitutions and things like that. [Assistant manager] Pep [Ljinders] is an incredible coach and he will be there.”
“I said it was a much better position from a spectator’s point of view. In the game against Southampton it was super useful. I will be sitting next to our analysts, they will have a bit of support from me. .”
Klopp on four starts: ‘They are Liverpool legends’
Klopp will also be allowed to travel to Anfield after the match, where Liverpool will bid farewell to four players after attending their last home game for the club. Milner, Firmino, Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain leave Liverpool
The Merseyside club announced this week that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita, as well as Roberto Firmino, will leave the club when their contracts expire.
“This game is difficult for a number of reasons,” Klopp added. “We talked to the guys about it this week. It’s super important for us and super moving. We really say goodbye to – in my opinion – four Liverpool legends.” As two of them were here when I arrived, Milly and Bobby, nothing good would have happened without them in recent years.