Jurgen Klopp, like most Premier League managers, enjoys hitting out at the schedule makers from time to time. The fixture congestion of the festive period is typically slammed by multiple managers when it comes around every year, but 2019-20 brings a unique challenge with the Club World Cup; at least for Liverpool.
The Reds advanced to the next round of the EFL Cup tonight, with a 5-5 draw at Anfield against Arsenal that was decided on penalty kicks. The quarterfinal round is set to begin the week of December 16, which would overlap with the beginning of LFC’s Club World Cup campaign. Oh, by the way, the reigning European champions are defending their UCL title too; on top of the Premier League competition, where they currently sit in first place.
And the FA Cup will be here before you know it too.
“If they don’t find a place for us,” Klopp said after the League Cup round of 16 win over the Gunners, “an appropriate place, not 3 a.m. on Christmas Day, then we don’t play it.”
“You have to think about these things. If you have a fixture list where one team cannot be part of all the games, then you have to think about the fixture list.”
“Hopefully, it starts now. I really think that’s fair.
“This problem is obvious now. We will not be the victim of this problem.”
It’s fair to say that the German is not really serious about forfeiting the next match in the tournament, and with it the tourney as a whole. Of course, behind every joke is a grain or two of truth though.
“We played tonight, we wanted to win it, we did that,” the German continued.
“If they don’t find a proper date for us, then we cannot play the next round and whoever is our opponent will go through. Or Arsenal plays it.”
“I think a lot people from the Premier League were watching on TV and hoping that Arsenal can do it; I’m sorry!”
It won’t be long until we find out the schedule for the quarterfinals; hours only. The EFL Cup draws will be held on Halloween. It’s safe to say that no ties will be played on Christmas Day!
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is 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,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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