Liverpool boss Klopp rejects call to apologise to Africa on AFCON comment
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has rejected calls to apologise to the continent of Africa after comments this week.
After victory over Arsenal, Klopp conceded he will lose two of his most important players in Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to international duty when they participate in the African Cup of Nations in January.
He stated: “In January, there’s a little tournament in Africa, England is playing games – South America as well, can’t wait.”
Klopp has since issued an update on his comments from the weekend, though he stopped short of apologising – instead laying the blame at the door of reporters.
read also:UCL: Guardiola claims Man City learnt valuable lesson in victory over PSG
Speaking after the Reds’ 2-0 Champions League home win over FC Porto, Liverpool’s manager bemoaned: “I didn’t mean it like that! I don’t know why you understand it like that. Come on…”
Klopp was then asked if he would apologise to Africa as a continent, to which he replied: “I didn’t call it a ‘little continent’.
“What I meant was – I said there’s no international break until March. A little tournament in January, I just meant it’s ironic. A big one, we lose our best players for the tournament.
“I am not a native speaker but if you want to misunderstand me, it was not my intention. You made something more of it. That is not too cool.”