Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp slammed the competition for adding to player workload
Jurgen Klopp with Arsene Wenger at the AXA Training Centre
Jurgen Klopp with Arsene Wenger at the AXA Training Centre(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Arsene Wenger has responded to Jurgen Klopp’s criticism of the Club World Cup. Speaking last month, the former Liverpool boss labelled the expanded competition as the 'worst idea ever implemented in football'.
Klopp, who is now head of global soccer for Red Bull, believes the timing and duration of the tournament in its new format heighten the risk of burnout and injuries for players. But hitting back at the German’s comments, Wenger, who is now FIFA's chief of global football development, claimed the Club World Cup has the full support of the teams, players and managers involved.
"I am going to give a very boring answer to a very interesting question," the former Arsenal boss said. "Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I don't share the view of Jurgen Klopp at all.
"I feel a Club World Cup is needed. If you make enquiries to all the clubs who were here, then 100% of answers would be that they would want to do it again. That's the best answer of what the clubs think of a Club World Cup.
"And the decisive question is, do the fans like it or not? We believe the attendances were projected as low and in reality were much higher. The answer is there."
Paris Saint-Germain, who recently won the Champions League for the first time back in May, will take on Conference League winners Chelsea in the final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
And Wenger admits that FIFA are planning to learn lessons in how to deal with the heat and improve the pitches before the World Cup next summer.
"The heat in some games was a problem, but we tried to combat that with cooling breaks and watering the pitches during the break, and overall I feel we learned a lot on that front," he said.
"In two different venues [there was a problem], one of them was Orlando. But we shouldn't underestimate the quality of the permanent [real grass] pitches.
"The grass is a bit different here. It's a bit harsher or more resistant than in other countries. The pitches were 'flat'. But once we watered the grass, everyone was happy.
"Certainly next year in stadiums there will also be more with roofs, and the TV times will be more sensitive. At the same time, the weather conditions can be a problem for everybody.
"I asked our analysts to analyse the impact of the heat. We found heat of over 35C had an impact on high-speed running, so sprints, not distances. You have to be equipped to deal with it."