EPL: Liverpool boss Klopp sends message to Anfield fans ahead of Queen Elizabeth II tribute

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has urged fans to recognise tonight’s minute’s silence for Queen Elizabeth II ahead of their Champions League clash with Ajax.

In his match programme notes, Klopp wrote:

“The events that surround tonight’s game means the occasion will be different to what we have become used to on European nights at Anfield. The loss of Queen Elizabeth II is a significant moment for the country and an incredibly sad moment for her family and all who cherished her, so playing football against this backdrop gives everyone involved a different kind of responsibility.

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“As a club, we always take these responsibilities very seriously because it is the right thing to do. At the time of writing these notes it is too early to say what the gestures of respect will be, but whatever they are we will observe them as we always have.

“I can say this from my own first-hand knowledge: whenever anyone suffers a personal loss, the support you receive makes such a difference, so if it feels this way when you need it, it makes sense that we should provide it when someone else has the same need.

“One of the most memorable examples of this came last season when our supporters found their own way to support Cristiano Ronaldo after he suffered a personal tragedy. I think this surprised some people because Cristiano is a Manchester United player but it shouldn’t have done. Football supporters in general are good people who know what is important.

“The respect ours showed that night was impressive, of course, but it should not have been a surprise. Anyone who expected anything different made a mistake by thinking the worst of people and in my experience that is never a good place to start.

“On an occasion like this one, how we conduct ourselves matters and so do the words that we say, so I would like to take this opportunity to pass on our condolences to everyone who has been affected by the death of the Queen, particularly her own family who clearly had an incredible amount of love for her as a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother.

“Like any family, they will be suffering right now but I hope they have been able to take some comfort from the affection and support that has come their way.

“As well as paying our respects, we also have another job to do tonight and that is to play football to the best of our ability. At times like this I always say that football is the most important of the least important things, but if we are playing it makes sense that we do it as well as we possibly can.”