Klopp's thoughts on the Super League

“I hope this Super League will never happen. For me, the Champions League is the Super League, in which you do not always end up playing against the same teams. Of course, it's economically important, but why should we create a system where Liverpool faces Real Madrid for 10 straight years? Who wants to see that every year?" said Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp just two years ago.

And now, in 2021, he is the coach of the club who will face Real Madrid not for 10 straight years, but possibly twice a year! And when confronted with those remarks from 2019, the German tactician became the first manager out of the 12 clubs who formed European Super League to actually say it’s a bad idea.

“My opinion didn't change. Obviously, I heard for the first time about it yesterday and trying to prepare a game, a very difficult game against Leeds, and I knew so far we got some information, not a lot to be honest. It's a tough one. People are not happy about it, and I can understand that, but I cannot say a lot more about it because we were not involved in any processes, not the players not me, we didn't know about it. We will have to wait to see how it develops. I like the Champions League, the competitive factor of football. I like the fact that West Ham might play the Champions League next year. What can I say: Liverpool is much more than some decisions and the most important things in football are the supporters and the teams and we have to make sure nothing comes between them” said Klopp before the game.

Liverpool move into the Champions League spot with a draw in Leeds

Former Manchester United defender, now a Sky Sports pundit Garry Neville was very approval of Klopp’s words and noticed that the German has basically gone up against his bosses, the Reds owners.

“Jurgen Klopp has come out tonight, he’s done it in a very calm fashion, which I think he has to in the position that he’s in. He’s destroyed his owners on national television, let’s be clear” Neville told Sky Sports.

UEFA chief calls Manchester and Juventus presidents liars and snakes

His studio colleague and former Reds defender Jamie Carragher then talked about possible consequences Klopp might have for these harsh words toward the newly formed league.

“The biggest thing is that everyone's against it tonight. Jurgen Klopp spoke about this in 2019 and made his stance very clear. If Liverpool loses their manager on the back of this in the next 12 months, then the owners will be run out of that club in a week. I can assure you of that. It hurts me more because this ownership bought Liverpool on the back of other American owners who ran the club badly and the fans got them out. These owners got the club for a steal. It is now six or seven times bigger, they've made their money and they won the lottery with Liverpool” said Carragher.

"Champions League - earn it. Football is for the fans“ – a powerful message on the shirts of Leeds players, aimed at Liverpool, one of five English teams to participate in the European Super League only provoked Jurgen Klopp. The shirts were left in the Liverpool locker room, but the Reds didn’t want to wear it, for obvious reason.

"We will not wear the warm-up shirts. We cannot. But if someone thinks they need to remind us that we need to earn to go to the Champions League, that's a joke. It makes me angry. They put shirts in our dressing room - if it was a Leeds idea, nobody has to remind us. Maybe they should remind themselves" said angry Klopp before the match.