Jurgen Klopp Refuses to Speculate on Manchester City’s 115 Charges
Jurgen Klopp has declined to speculate on Manchester City’s 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations, saying he will wait for the independent commission’s decision rather than engage with a process in which he has no role.
Speaking before Germany’s Thursday meeting with Serbia, the 59-year-old was asked about the charges, which concern alleged rule violations between 2009 and 2018. Klopp said he was aware of the case but had not spent much time considering it.
Quick facts
- Manchester City face 115 alleged financial-rule breaches dating from 2009 to 2018.
- An independent commission is considering the case.
- Klopp met City 25 times as Liverpool manager, winning 10 and drawing seven.
- Liverpool won the Champions League in 2018-19 and Premier League in 2019-20 under Klopp.
- Germany began their Nations League campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands and a 1-0 loss to Greece.
Klopp’s Liverpool side repeatedly contested major honours with Pep Guardiola’s City, but he separated that sporting rivalry from the ongoing legal proceedings. He praised Guardiola and City’s football, describing them as an outstanding opponent during his time at Anfield.
The former Liverpool manager said any future sanctions would be a matter for the authorities, not for him. He also dismissed the prospect of preparing to receive a title should retrospective punishments alter the official record.
Possible outcomes have prompted discussion about whether honours could be removed or reassigned, but Klopp said Liverpool’s achievements would not be diminished in his view. He pointed to the work his team did on the pitch and said he remained fully satisfied with what was accomplished on Merseyside.
Klopp led Liverpool to the 2019-20 league championship and the 2018-19 European Cup, along with other major trophies, during his nine-year spell in charge. His record against City included 10 wins and seven draws from 25 fixtures.
He made clear that he does not know the detailed allegations and does not intend to study them. Klopp’s focus is instead on Germany, whose opening two Nations League matches brought a draw with the Netherlands followed by defeat to Greece.
