Klopp fumes at reporters after Merseyside derby scheduling change

Jurgen Klopp is fuming with the Premier League for rescheduling Liverpool's Merseyside derby clash as the early kick-off on the Saturday between their Champions League quarter-final contests with Manchester City.

Friday's Champions League draw paired Liverpool with their top-flight rivals in the last eight of Europe's elite competition, setting up a tantalising tie.

The first leg will take place on Wednesday April 4, and Klopp has taken issue with the fact the Premier League have moved their next domestic game – a clash with bitter rivals Everton – to the early kick-off on the following Saturday, while City will be in action in the day's late kick-off.

An incensed Klopp claimed that an extra five hours of preparation and recovery "means the world".

"I'm already angry to be honest," Klopp told reporters at his news conference on Friday. "Because I hear that the Premier League will put our game against Everton to 12:30 [BST] on Saturday.

"I know countries that cancel whole matchdays so their teams can be in proper shape. We play City on Wednesday, then Everton three days later.

 

16 March 2018

"That's not too cool. We have to go the hard way and I'm used to that."

Klopp was again asked about the situation of the Everton kick-off, with a reporter suggesting he might like to move the game entirely and the German got particularly prickly.

"No, I want it at 9am in the morning, what the f***," Klopp said.

"At three o'clock, like a normal game, or as usual on Sunday at 2:15 [pm]. Put it on a normal time, not breakfast.

"What do you think I'm talking about? Is my English that bad you have to ask again? We play at 7:45 [pm] on Wednesday and 12:30 on Saturday.

"The other team plays at 5:30 [pm on the Saturday] - can you imagine the difference between these five hours? It means the world in preparation and recovery.

"You watch it, write a little bit about it, obviously you're not interested and have no idea about it, and we have to deliver and I am not happy, because I'm not happy all the time and not smiling all the time."