Jurgen Klopp: I would have a bus parade if Manchester City are found guilty – MASHAHER

Jurgen Klopp joked he would join an open-top bus parade if Liverpool were handed extra league titles because of financial sanctions against Manchester City.

During a question-and-answer session with the comedian John Bishop, Klopp said the case against City was effectively on a banned list of topics for him.

“TNT [the broadcaster]; no 12.30 [kick-offs] discussion; referees; we don’t talk about Man City – don’t know why, we don’t talk about financial things – VAR,” he said, listing subjects which had proven controversial during his time at Anfield.

But Klopp took the bait when Bishop questioned him on what he might do if Liverpool were handed another two titles retrospectively if City were found guilty of financial doping.

“If you organise a bus parade I’m in. How long it takes, I don’t care how long,” Klopp told an audience at the city’s M&S Bank Arena following the end of his tenure as Liverpool coach.

Klopp also made some light-hearted digs at fellow rivals Chelsea in the wake of their shock dismissal of Mauricio Pochettino. “We should be really happy we have them [Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool] and not guys who bought London clubs,” Klopp said. “I wouldn’t have survived a year at Liverpool.”

City deny all wrongdoing as the club awaits its hearing this autumn for 115 alleged financial breaches after one of the most dominant eras in footballing history.

Richard Masters, the league’s chief executive, has refused to confirm an exact date for the hearing, but October or November have been earmarked by insiders as the most likely month.

The charges against City include 54 failures to provide accurate financial information 2009-10 to 2017-18, 14 failures to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18, five failures to comply with Uefa’s rules including Financial Fair Play (FFP) 2013-14 to 2017-18, seven breaches of the Premier League’s PSR rules 2015-16 to 2017-18 and 35 failures to co-operate with Premier League investigations December 2018 – Feb 2023.

Allegations came to light in leaked material published by German newspaper Der Spiegel. City have always said these leaked emails were obtained illegally. Potential expulsion from the league if among available punishments should the club be found guilty. The case cannot go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), but either side could appeal, prompting speculation the saga could still take years to be resolved.

In a 2020 judgement, Uefa banned City from the Champions League for two seasons and fined them €30 million. However, the punishment was overturned by Cas.

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