Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (left) and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hug after the final whistle during the Premier League match at Anfield, Liverpool.

“Not a good day for football” – Klopp gives verdict on Man City’s European ruling

Jurgen Klopp has given his verdict on Man City‘s European ban being overturned, saying he’s pleased from one perspective but not from another.

As ever, it’s a double-edged sword asking a manager about another team: he has both the context of the situation to consider but also the implication of how it will affect his own side.

Klopp, a backer of Financial Fair Play’s supposed principles, stated he hoped that the policy would continue, even though City seeming to circumnavigating it means there are loopholes which can be exploited.

But the Liverpool manager also acknowledged that a season in which City didn’t play European football would essentially mean game over in terms of the 20/21 Premier League, as they would allocate their entire resources to being fit and fresh for each and every game with their massive squad.

“I am, from a personal point of view, happy City can play Champions League football,” he told journalists in his pre-Arsenal press conference.

“If I think about the league and City play 10-12 games less, I don’t see any chance for any other team.

“Apart from that, I don’t wish anybody anything bad.

“But I dont think it was a good day for football yesterday.”

Expanding on his thoughts about the financial impact, Klopp says that without checks and halting processes on how much individual clubs can spend, the football world would simply spiral towards a closed contest between a handful of sides with the richest owners, removing all competition and fairness from the game.

“FFP is a good idea, it’s there to protect teams and competitions, that was the idea in the start to not overspend and have clubs make sure the money they want to spend is based on the right sources.

“It’s not up to me to judge this ruling and I don’t. I just think the FFP frame we should stick to and that’s what I hope, that FFP stays because it gives kind of [financial] borders and I think that’s good for football.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 1, 2019: Manchester City's head coach Pep Guardiola reacts during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Manchester City FC and GNK Dinamo Zagreb at the City of Manchester Stadium. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

“If you start [down the path] that nobody cares and the richest can do what they want, it would make competition really difficult.

“It would automatically lead to a world super league, depending on who owns the club.”

City’s benefactors are virtually limitless in terms of their spending power, while as is evidenced from recent transfer windows and the one ahead, Liverpool are fixed on their approach of remaining well within their means.

A fine handed to City, even into the millions, has absolutely no impact as everyone knows, and the fear is that this ruling from Cas will be seen as carte-blanche to the super-rich to follow the Etihad club’s lead and find ways to get around FFP even more.

If that happens, then Jurgen’s prophecy of this being ‘not a good day for football’ will quickly be proven accurate.