Klopp Complains Over Timing Of CWC As Liverpool Prepares For Two Matches In 24 Hours

 

Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, has hit out at the timing of the World Club Cup competition, questioning the plans of the world's football governing body, FIFA, to expand the tournament in the future.

Klopp reiterated the commitment of his team towards winning this week’s Club World Cup ahead of their semifinal fixture against Monterrey of Mexico.

Speaking to journalists at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, where Liverpool are billed to face Monterrey on Wednesday, Klopp said, "We are here now, and we are completely focused on it, but if you had asked me beforehand if I think that there should be a Club World Cup in the middle of our season, I would say no, in my honest opinion.”

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The English club have had to suspend league duties in the meantime to travel to Qatar for the tournament where they are expected to represent Europe following their Champions League triumph last season.

Should Liverpool get a victory against the Mexicans, they will advance to a final on Saturday against either Flamengo of Brazil or Saudi side Al-Hilal. Should the reverse be the case, the highflying club will still have to remain in Qatar for a third-place play-off at the weekend.

Their Premier League trip to West Ham United, scheduled for this weekend, was postponed as a result, and they have been forced to play their League Cup quarter-final at Aston Villa on Tuesday with a squad of academy players due to the lack of alternatives in what is shaping to be a really tight schedule for the current European champions.

Recall that in October following a penalty shootout victory over Arsenal, Klopp had threatened to withdraw Liverpool from the Carabao Cup should the EFL and Premier League fail to find a proper date for their quarter-final match. However, it would seem the German tactician has lowered his stance, telling reporters he expects a performance from the young Reds. “We don’t expect a result; we expect a performance,” he said. “They will have all our support. We will think of them – they’re our boys.”

Fifa recently confirmed plans to expand the current seven-team Club World Cup played in December to a 24-team competition, which will start in China in 2021 and will be played in June and July -- that means a clash with the next Africa Cup of Nations, to be held at the same time.

The existing format is particularly unloved in Europe, even if European clubs have won the last six editions.

Klopp added: "Can it be an even bigger tournament in the future? I don't know. We have to make sure that we have great competitions, but not at the same time, that's all.

"I like now being here because we have a lot of fans in this part of the world, they usually have to follow us at night time if they want to watch our games so that's nice that we can come closer from time to time.

"But everybody needs to think about it. If there is time for a tournament which is nice, then you cannot have then another. You cannot just add on tournaments, that doesn't work."

Liverpool attacker, Mohammed Salah, who scored a brace during last weekend’s victory over Watford, would be looking to add to his goal tally in 2019 which currently stands at 13 in all competitions.