‘My respect for Pep is far too great’ – Former Liverpool boss Klopp on Man City verdict | OneFootball

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he has “no feelings” about Manchester City’s guilty verdict over breaches of financial rules, and is waiting to see how the case develops.

Klopp, whose Liverpool side went head-to-head with Pep Guardiola’s City in several Premier League title races, said the long-running nature of the proceedings made him reluctant to draw conclusions.

“I haven’t given it much thought, even though I’ve seen it of course,” Klopp said.

“Should any sanctions be imposed, I naturally have nothing to do with it anyway, and that’s why I’m waiting to see how things pan out.

“But when you’re talking about legal proceedings that have been going on for so long now, I assume there will be an appeal or something like that? That will take ages again of course.

“So I’m a long way from preparing myself for it in any way and I don’t have any feelings about it.”

Klopp had previously joked that he would attend a title parade if any of Liverpool’s past runners-up finishes were altered due to City sanctions, but said he no longer feels that way because of the respect he has for Guardiola and the teams he competed against.

“I also know what I said about it in the past and how if there’s ever a parade, I’ll be there,” he added. “But it doesn’t feel like that anymore.

“My respect for Pep Guardiola and the football played at City during the time we played against each other, in the way they played back then and how they brought football to life on the pitch, plus what an opponent they proved to be for us at the very highest level, is far too great for me to be able to say anything now.”

Manchester City continue to deny any wrongdoing and say they will fight the verdict.