The covid-19 pandemic forced a three month layoff last season, which led to a later starting point in the current campaign. Given started later has led to more fixture congestion, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp sees that as one factor in regards to the injury crisis his club has suffered.
There is obviously blame to go around, but Klopp has now specifically targeted the match broadcast rights holders. One of those holders, Sky Sports, asked the German why he waited until the 89th minute of his side’s 3-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday to make two of his three alotted substitutions.
Liverpool came into that game as 87/100 favorites to win. Leicester received 14/5 odds on a win, matching the same odds on a draw. If you want to bet on today’s Champions League match, with the current Betfred sign up offers, you’ll see Liverpool typically backed at (-155), with Atalanta in the range of (+360), most of the time. The draw can be had, usually, for around +340. What about odds on the overall UCL winner?
Bayern Munich are the favorite it seems, typically being priced at (+275), with Manchester City right behind them at (+450). If you want to put your money on Liverpool reaching seventh heaven, all time, in the European Cup, then the odds are (+600) third best of the field. That’s better than Barcelona, PSG, Juventus and Real Madrid, the next four teams, in order that follow.
Those are pretty favorable odds, considering the fitness crisis that Klopp has on his hands. The German responded to the query about subs by slamming the condensed schedule, and then took a swipe at the broadcasting firms, by saying they do not have empathy for the fitness crisis that he currently has on his hands.
“Why we change late is because we constantly have to think that somebody will go down with an injury,” the German said.
“We cannot change early, because we change early and the other one has an injury, and you end the game with nine players. It’s about all the players, it’s about the England players, it’s about all the players who will play the European Championship next summer — if you [Sky] don’t start talking to BT, we’re done.”
“If we keep playing Wednesday and Saturday at 12:30 [local time], I’m not sure if you’ll finish the season with 11 players. All the top six are the same, but I know you [the broadcasters] don’t care, and that’s the problem,” Klopp said to the Sky Sports reporter.
Wow! Scathing, even by Jurgen Klopp standards. Hitting out at the schedule makers is a usual practice of his, but this is next level stuff.
The former Mainz and Borussia Dortmund mentor does not hold back, and really that is the way we like it.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.