Jurgen Klopp admits he ‘really feels for’ Pep Guardola and Manchester City’s players following their Champions League ban.
UEFA hit the Premier League champions with a two-season suspension from Europe’s elite club competition on Friday over Financial Fair Play breaches.
City are preparing to take the charge to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in hopes of overturning it due to what they perceived as a flawed process.
But while Klopp acknowledged that the charges were ‘obviously serious’, he also expressed sympathy for Pep Guardiola’s side and their on-field efforts.
“Of course it was a shock. [My reaction was] ‘wow, what’s that?’,” he told Sky Sports.
“The only thing I can say, I’m a football coach so I can speak about football, and what Pep and Man City did since I’m in England is exceptional.
“About all the rest I have no idea. What happened, who did what and stuff like this.
“I can imagine that in the moment it’s really difficult for the sports people to understand.
“You believe the people you work with, that’s how it is, and they tell you it’s like this and that, and obviously somebody sees it completely different.
“I really feel for them, to be honest, for Pep and the players, but that will not help.
“It’s the first verdict, they will appeal, and we will see what happens then. But it’s obviously serious, otherwise UEFA would not react like that.
“How I said, the football they played and play was exceptional, and will be exceptional.”
Liverpool moved 25 points clear of City in the Premier League table with Saturday’s 1-0 win over Norwich City, courtesy of a late Sadio Mane strike.