Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has commented on Manchester City being found guilty of serious financial-rule breaches by an independent Premier League commission.
The commission has ruled that City breached a number of financial regulations covering the period between the 2009/10 and 2017/18 seasons. It found that the club had entered into what it described as “sham” commercial agreements as part of a “disguised funding scheme”, with the arrangements allegedly helping to inflate City’s reported revenues by £830 million.
Manchester City have rejected the findings and said they intend to appeal. Chief executive Ferran Soriano has also described the allegations as a “conspiracy theory” in a leaked internal message to staff and players.
Klopp’s Liverpool finished second behind Pep Guardiola’s City in the 2018/19 and 2021/22 Premier League campaigns, losing both title races by a single point.
In 2024, Klopp had joked about the possibility of City being stripped of their titles, saying: “If you organise a bus parade, I am in. I don’t care how long it takes.”
Klopp’s reaction
However, speaking after the commission’s latest ruling, the former Liverpool manager appeared less enthusiastic about the prospect of celebrating any retrospective titles.
“I really haven’t given it much thought but of course I’ve noticed it,” Klopp said of the City verdict in a news conference ahead of Germany’s Nations League fixture against Serbia.
“I also remember what I said: ‘If there’s ever a victory parade, I’ll be there’. It doesn’t feel like that anymore. It’s not that I feel I have to have a bus parade. I can just sit back and wait for it to happen.
“I have huge respect for Pep Guardiola and the football City played during the time we were up against them. The sort of football they put on the pitch, the sort of opponents they were for us. It’s far too big. The standard is far too high.
“If any sanctions are imposed, I’ve got nothing to do with it. And that’s why I’m waiting to see what happens. The legal proceedings have been going on for a long time; I assume there will be an appeal, which will take ages.
“I’m a long way from preparing myself for it in any way and I’ve got absolutely no sense of it.
“I don’t need to be Premier League champions a few more times. I’m completely happy with what we’ve achieved. We battled it out on the pitch and I can’t say anything about the rest because I don’t know exactly what it’s all about. To be honest, I’m not interested either.”
Liverpool suffer international injury concerns
Meanwhile, Liverpool have also been dealing with fitness issues involving two of their forwards during the international break.
Cody Gakpo was sent back to Liverpool after withdrawing from the Netherlands squad following an ankle problem suffered during the 2-1 Nations League victory over Serbia in Belgrade.
Gakpo appeared to twist his ankle following a challenge from Ipswich midfielder Sasa Lukic early in the match. He attempted to continue before being replaced by Ruben van Bommel.
Netherlands coach Xavi Hernandez had initially expressed hope that the injury was not serious.
“I don’t think so.
“It’s in the ankle. I don’t know exactly the result but tomorrow we will know. Hopefully it is not too important.” He said.
Alexander Isak was another Liverpool player to leave international duty early after Sweden confirmed that he had suffered a minor thigh problem.
The striker completed the full match and scored during Sweden’s 2-1 victory over Romania, but subsequently returned to Liverpool for further assessment.
Sweden boss Graham Potter explained that Isak’s injury was not considered serious but would prevent him from taking part in the remainder of the international fixtures.
“Not a big one, but because of the amount of games we have got in a small space of time, he won’t be able to make those,” he said.
Potter later provided further details about the problem.
“He has got a small problem with his thigh. Not a big one, but because of the amount of games we have got in a small space of time, he won’t be able to make those.
“So, not a big one, but frustrating for him and obviously for us.
“[It happened] during the game. Sometimes you get bumps and bruises in the game and might think it’s a bit of a dead leg or something, but as the 24 hours, 48 hours after the game [go on], it’s not quite what you think and unfortunately, after getting it checked out, it’s a little bit more than what you think during the match so he has to miss the rest of the camp.
“Our medical team have been in contact with the club (Liverpool); they know that. It’s our decision in the first place because of his status in terms of his injury, and once that’s the case we have to inform everybody, but that’s normal.”
Isak endured a difficult first season at Anfield following his record £125 million transfer from Newcastle in 2025, but had made a strong start to the current campaign, scoring four goals in his first five Premier League appearances.
Liverpool will now monitor his condition ahead of their return to Premier League action against Manchester City on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
