Klopp hits out at Swansea scheduling

Jurgen Klopp has hit out at the Premier League for scheduling Liverpool’s trip to Swansea City on Sunday to kick-off at midday.

Liverpool travel to south Wales just three days after their Europa League semi-final first leg at Villarreal, which they lost 1-0 thanks to an injury-time goal from Adrian Lopez.

And Klopp is irked by the fact his squad will have little time to recuperate from their exertions in Spain, indicating that the Premier League is potentially undermining the efforts of its teams in continental competition.

Speaking at his pre-match media conference on Friday, Klopp commented: “We have to respect intensity of the last game and think about the line-up for Sunday. 12 o’clock kick off? I can’t believe it. We got home at 3.30am [on Friday], and I guess no-one slept straight away. 

“On Sunday all English people will have lunch while we play football. It is my first time with a 12 o’clock kick-off. Who made this decision?

“A few years ago we played in Athens with Dortmund in the Champions League. They cancelled their game in the league because they wanted to beat Dortmund!

“I don’t want to make headlines, but nobody in this room can think we should start at 12?!

“At 12 o’clock I am usually hungry. If my players are also hungry at that time on Sunday that will help us.”