MX23RW : Tuesday, November 5 18:34:32| >> :60:2525:2525:

Jurgen Klopp: 'Liverpool players were not involved in ESL process'

Jurgen Klopp: 'Liverpool players were not involved in ESL process'
© Reuters
Liverpool were denied a place back in the top four by Spain defender Diego Llorente's first goal for Leeds.

Jurgen Klopp has made an impassioned plea for football fans not to direct their anger over the Super League proposals at his team.

Liverpool boss Klopp said after his side's 1-1 draw at Leeds that neither he nor his players had anything to do with club owners' decision to become part of a European breakaway league.

"I have six years at the club. I know our owners, they are reasonable people, serious people," said Klopp, who saw Sadio Mane's first-half opener at Elland Road cancelled out by Diego Llorente's late header.

"They care about us, but they never have to explain this type of decision like or ask permission or whatever.

"I speak a lot to them, but was not involved in the process, not at all.

"I got information yesterday. Nobody knows what will happen. I don't know anything about that.

"The team has nothing to do with it and I have, not really, anything to do with it, but people treat us like that.

"The Leeds supporters came here today, before the game they were shouting at us in the city this afternoon.

"We have nothing to do with this. We are employees of the club and I feel responsible for a lot of things at this club.

"When I am involved in things and I take the criticism easily, but my boys – I don't think they have to take it as well.

"We are not involved in this. So it's a tough one at the moment."

Liverpool were denied a place back in the top four by Spain defender Llorente's first goal for Leeds.

The defender powered home Jack Harrison's 87th-minute corner for a deserved equaliser after Liverpool had led at the break through Mane's first league goal since January.

Marcelo Bielsa felt Leeds merited a point, but his post-match press conference was also dominated by questions over the Super League.

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani had revealed his dismay at the proposals on social media earlier in the day and Bielsa applauded the Italian's stance.

"The president of the club puts his foot forward to limit the power of these big clubs," Bielsa said.

"This is something to celebrate. The clubs need each other, but because football has a more commercial view, it's natural in the world of businesses, looking only at the economic aspect, the ones that produce the most, demand the majority of it.

"Football belongs to everybody, even if there are owners. The real owners of football are those who love the badge and without them football will disappear."

Bielsa said European football's governing bodies should have seen this coming from the so-called big clubs.

He added: "The organisations could have anticipated this and avoided it. I insist this should not surprise us because it happens in all walks of life."

ID:443931: cacheID:443931:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5882:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Manchester United fans hold an anti Super League banner outside Old Trafford as twelve of Europe's top football clubs launch a breakaway Super League
Read Next:
Big Six supporters protest European Super League outside stadiums
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!