‘It’s a crime’: Jurgen Klopp criticizes BT Sport for scheduling an early start for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp re-marked the Premier League calendar, but refused to blame the match list for Liverpool’s surprising 2-0 loss to Atalanta on Wednesday.

The Reds squandered their chance to qualify for the Champions League round of 16 with two games to spare, as goals from Josip Ilicic and Robin Gosens gave the Italian team a 2-0 win at Anfield.

It was Liverpool’s first loss at home in a 90-minute game since September 2018, and the Premier League champions failed to register a shot on goal.

Klopp, whose Liverpool team travels to Brighton for the first leg at 12.30pm on Saturday, said his team lacked intensity as they negotiate a packed match list between now and Christmas.

He told BT Sport after the Atalanta game: ‘I’m afraid to say it, but I think (losing steam) could happen not only to us, but also to other teams.

‘You (BT Sport), my special friends, ask us to go on Saturday at 12.30pm, which is almost a crime to be honest. It has nothing to do with tonight’s game, but congratulations on that.

‘My only interest at the moment is that you raise your thumb, no one injured, let’s recover immediately. We take it.

‘The guys are completely disappointed, frustrated, really, but we don’t have time to be honest. It’s just getting fresh legs as quickly as possible and starting over, that’s all. ‘

Klopp, along with rivals Pep Guardiola and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has criticized the Premier League schedule in recent weeks, with all three coaches targeting broadcasters at kick-off times after Champions League action.

After Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Leicester last weekend, Klopp beat up Sky Sports and BT in an angry spiel, saying: ‘It was never about us when I talked about it. It’s about all the players, players from England, players who will play in the European Championship next summer.

But if you (Sky) don’t start talking to BT, we’re done. Sky and BT have to talk because if we keep playing on Wednesday and then Saturday at 12:30, I’m not sure if we will finish the season with 11 players, the top seven.

But I know that you (the broadcasters) don’t care and that is the problem.

‘No, it’s not a bad thing to say because we’ve discussed it for a long time and nothing has happened.

Everyone tells me that it is very difficult, but it is very difficult for the players, the rest is just a decision at a desk in an office.

“I am happy for the game but we lost another midfielder (Keita). We also don’t have much on the bench, but that’s the situation.

But it’s not about us, I’m not talking about Liverpool, I’m talking about all the soccer players out there. Yesterday, (Gerard) I hammered massive knee injury. (Bukayo) Saka, maybe, I’m not sure, it looked like a knee injury: he played all three games for England during the international break.

‘Now people tell us that we rotate players, but who? We have some offensive players but the rest are children.

‘It is a huge problem. On Wednesdays and Saturdays at 12:30 it is a problem for the station and nothing more. We played Atalanta on Wednesday and then at 12:30 (Saturday) against Brighton. It’s an early Christmas present. We will arrive there trembling. I think about submitting the points. This is how it is.

‘Gentlemen, start talking and start making decisions. I know it’s not you I like the relationship with you.

‘If someone talks to me about contracts again, I’ll go crazy. Because these contracts are not made for a Covid season.

We all have to adapt. You stay here with a face mask, a year ago, did you think you would have to go somewhere with a face mask and an interview like this?

‘That’s the situation, so everything has changed, but the contract with the broadcasters is still:’ We have this, so we keep it. What? Everything changed, the whole world changed! ‘

Despite the short period between matches this season, Liverpool have started the season well and are tied on points with Premier League leaders Tottenham, but a long injured list has threatened to damage their campaign.

With players like Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Thiago Alcantara struggling in the long run, Klopp put players like Roberto Firmino, Andy Robertson and Diogo Jota to rest in the starting lineup against Atalanta.

But Klopp said Wednesday’s Champions League tie was so intense that his substitute players had a hard time keeping up with procedures at Anfield.

The German added: “ Usually when the first half is over you’re a little bit more settled, but for some players who didn’t play for a while, you could see it was very intense for them so we really didn’t find a way. to enter. ” the game to create.

We didn’t have enough bodies between the lines, there weren’t enough bodies behind and all these kinds of things.

‘I’m not surprised. It’s hard to win a match (when you don’t have a shot on goal).

BT Sport insider Rio Ferdinand didn’t feel much sympathy for Klopp after he ranted about the match list once again.

The former Manchester United defender Untied argued: ‘Everyone is in the same boat. They don’t do well, but when you look at the depth of their squad, they’re sitting in a better position than most.

“With the schedule they have had lately and they have also had some injuries, it is a challenge and you can understand the frustrations. He is the one who speaks loudest at the moment.

Former Liverpool forward Peter Crouch added: ‘It was accepted (the match list) by the clubs at the start of the season and we are in unprecedented circumstances.

“Managers have complained about a lot of games since the beginning of time. I remember Sir Alex Ferguson used to talk a lot about international games. It will always go on. ‘