“I have no nerve for you”
A “somewhat stupid question” leaves Klopp stunned
March 18, 2024, 6:06 a.m
The badly stressed Liverpool FC has a chance for the title snatched from Manchester United’s hands in a dramatic cup game. Coach Jürgen Klopp doesn’t let anything get to his team – and irons out a journalist harshly.
Jürgen Klopp was seething inside. “A bit of a stupid question, I have to say,” whispered the Liverpool FC team manager to a reporter. “I’m really disappointed with this question, but you obviously thought it was a good one,” complained Klopp before ending the interview. The person he was talking to, he said as he walked, was “obviously not in good shape, I don’t have the nerve for you.”
A journalist from the Scandinavian TV station Viaplay wanted to know why the Reds lacked intensity in the dramatic extra-time thriller against eternal rivals Manchester United after the 3-4 defeat in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. This frustrated Klopp so much that he produced an internet hit after missing out on the first title on his farewell tour.
“Congratulations to United”
“That was the first time that I saw that my team was really struggling. That’s just how it is, we’ve been playing a lot of football lately,” Klopp said a little later at the press conference: “Congratulations to United, they have too fought very hard.”
In a duel with many twists and turns, Liverpool made it 3-2 (105th) in extra time thanks to Harvey Elliott’s goal, but Marcus Rashford (112th) and Amad Diallo (120th + 1) countered shortly before the penalty shootout. After taking a 2-1 lead in regular time, the record champions fought back and saved themselves into extra time.
Instead of having the chance to win in three competitions after the triumph in the League Cup, Klopp and the Reds had to cope with a setback in the midst of their hunt for appointments. In the 19th competitive game since the beginning of the year, there was obviously a lack of strength in the home stretch. For comparison: Man United played six fewer games in the same period.
Now Klopp, who will quit as Liverpool team manager at the end of the season after almost nine years, has “only” two possible titles left. The LFC is in a promising position in the Premier League (second place) and Europa League (quarter-finals). This, as Klopp has been aware of since Sunday, will require a real energy performance.
Given the numerous games and a difficult personnel situation, he didn’t even know “who we should start with,” said Klopp, who didn’t blame his team for their fighting spirit. “I saw a team that understood how important the game was and gave absolutely everything. Today it wasn’t enough and we have to accept that now.”