Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said at his weekly news conference today that he couldn’t truly describe his emotions over the vicious attack on an Irish Reds supporter prior to Tuesday night’s 5-2 win over AS Roma in the home leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal tie.
Sean Cox, a 53-year-old Liverpool supporter from Co Meath, currently remains in critical condition and in an induced coma due to serious injuries sustained outside The Albert pub as a result of the attack by two Italian men who have been charged and remain in custody.
The Irish Independent wrote of Cox: “His devastated family must wait over the weekend until medics begin the process of trying to wake him. Only then can they begin to assess the degree of injury he has received, how long term it is likely to be, and if surgery was a success.”
Given what just transpired, Klopp is naturally concerned about the safety of Liverpool supporters traveling to Rome for the match Wednesday night. He hopes that the fans attending the match will keep things in perspective, and remember that it’s just a football match, and not an event with any greater significance beyond that.
“It is a really difficult situation. I have never been in a situation like that,” Klopp said.
“The only thing, and it is always how I see it, it is all about football. It is only football. Nothing more and nothing less. I never understood people who don’t accept that.
“I am pretty sure everybody who is involved in keeping people safe will do their best and everything they can. I am not too concerned about that.
“If Rome go through, they deserve it. If we go through, we deserve it. Around the stadium, nobody should think about anything else but the game.”
Klopp urged Reds supporters to do everything they can to try and stay out of trouble next week.
“It is common sense. What can I say that they don’t already know? It is easy to say – behave. Like you want to be treated. If you are alone in the street, you want to feel safe,” Klopp continued.
“I don’t know, we could have 1,000 problem fans but since I have been here I haven’t heard about that. If police think they have to be more concerned, keep an eye on them.
“I really don’t like that part of football. I am not smart enough to understand it. We have to talk about it but it shouldn’t be like this. As long as we want to have the game as we do, with away fans in stadiums, we have to show our responsibility. I hope that everybody is in that mood.”
While Klopp advises fans to keep their head on a swivel, Liverpool, UEFA, Roma and Italian authorities met in Rome today to go over additional safety measures for the thousands of LFC fans headed to the eternal city for the next week’s match.
Liverpool Football Club released a statement saying that the event was “positive and productive,” adding that:
“Important guidance for traveling Liverpool supporters was discussed at length and the process is already under way to refine that information so it can be shared with those attending at the earliest opportunity.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube.