Explore how Manchester City’s financial charges could reframing Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool legacy, turning near-misses into ultimate achievements.
Germany Training Session And Press Conference
Germany Training Session And Press Conference | Alexander Hassenstein/GettyImages
When asked about Manchester City’s charges back in 2024, Jürgen Klopp joked: “If you organise a bus parade I am in! How long it takes, I don’t care.”
However, in the recent pre-match press conference for Germany, the former Liverpool manager played down his past comments, acknowledging his respect for his fierce competitor Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.
**“I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City’s style of football,” the German said.
“They played fantastic football and were a top-class opponent for us.
“If any sanctions were handed out, I have nothing to do with it. I’ll wait and see. I’m far from preparing for a title or anything like that.
“I’m absolutely fine with what we achieved at Liverpool. We fought hard on the pitch.”**
Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola
Liverpool FC v Manchester City - Premier League | Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages
While Jürgen Klopp’s humility should be applauded, many will feel the 59-year-old has been robbed of an array of trophies following the financial-doping scandal involving his most fierce rival, who are still pleading their innocence.
Despite Manchester City’s claims, an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, from 2009 to 2018.
This involved using ‘sham’ contracts with several of its commercial partners to artificially inflate the club’s revenue and reduce its costs by more than £900m.
Jürgen Klopp’s great Liverpool side battled it out with Pep Guardiola’s Man City over the following years, missing out on two league titles by a single point.
Mohamed Salah
Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League | Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/GettyImages
That begs the question: if Manchester City’s squad had been assembled fairly, would the tide have turned in Liverpool’s favour during that famous rivalry? We’ll never know for sure, but the scale of the charges held against the Manchester club suggests it’s possible.
While Manchester City had an extra £900m to play with, Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool were operating a sell-to-buy policy throughout much of his reign at the Reds.
According to Transfermarkt, between Jürgen Klopp’s arrival and departure at Liverpool, the club sat 8th in the net-spend table, behind the likes of West Ham, Newcastle and Tottenham, and over €500m behind Manchester City.
The Reds had a total net spend of €420m during Klopp’s reign, with a lot of that spending coming after the German had delivered big trophies to help bolster the club’s finances.
While Klopp walked away having won every trophy he competed for besides the Europa League, many will feel that these numbers don’t even scratch the surface when it comes to the German’s greatness.
His Liverpool team, built on his famous gegenpress, hard work and Anfield’s energy, went toe-to-toe with a football team built on “sham” contracts and financial deception.
While Premier League titles being retrospectively awarded to Liverpool is an option still on the table, many will feel that this is an empty gesture that doesn't make up for the emotion, memories and financial reward that Liverpool, and many clubs, missed out on.
The complexity of proving that the financial doping directly affected the years after the charges, which dated up to 2018, also makes it unlikely that Jurgen Klopp will be a benefciary of this sanction. Brendan Rodgers on the other hand... who knows.
We'll never know what Jurgen Klopp could have achieved if the Premier League’s rules were followed by all, but one thing’s for sure, history will be kind to him.
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