Jurgen Klopp has said he will not celebrate if Liverpool inherit Premier League titles stripped from Manchester City, walking back a previous promise to attend a parade.
The Premier League revealed on Tuesday that City had been found guilty of 114 charges of serious financial misconduct and obstructing an independent commission's investigation. The club continues to deny the charges and says it plans to appeal.
Klopp's response to the verdict
The sanctions facing the club are not yet clear, but they could stand to be stripped of all the titles they won between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 campaigns. Should that be the case, Liverpool could stand to inherit the 2018/19 Premier League title.
Klopp has previously said he would happily attend a parade if Liverpool were to be handed further titles, but he has now walked back that promise.
“Of course I've heard about that,” said Klopp of the Man City verdict. “But I haven't given it much thought. I can only wait and see.
“I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City's style of football; they played fantastic football and were a top-class opponent for us.
“If any sanctions are handed out, I have nothing to do with it; I'll wait and see. I'm far from preparing for a title or anything like that.
“I'm absolutely fine with what we've achieved in Liverpool. We fought hard on the pitch. I can't say any more about that.”
Rivalry and past comments
Klopp's Liverpool were regular rivals for Pep Guardiola's City throughout his time on Merseyside. Even if City are stripped of their titles, it remains to be seen whether they would be reassigned.
Klopp himself would not stand to pick up any extra titles, given he did not join Liverpool until after the period for which City are being investigated, but he has said in the past he would be happy to attend a parade if they were awarded further honours.
He quipped in 2024: “If you organise a bus parade – I'm in! How long it takes, I don't care!”
