Jurgen Klopp Blasts Reds' Contract Rebels After UCL Group Progression: 'WTF, It's Your Job to Do it'

Jurgen Klopp has launched an attack on Liverpool's contract rebels after the club's emphatic 4-2 Champions League play off second leg victory over Hoffenheim.

The Reds manager watched on as his side secured a 6-3 aggregate win over their Bundesliga counterparts to secure a place in the lucrative group stages of the competition on Wednesday night.

Speaking after the game to the Daily Mail, however, Klopp failed to see why some of his star men had been holding out until Champions League qualification was assured before deciding whether their futures lay with his side.

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Emre Can and Philippe Coutinho have both been linked with moves away from Merseyside in recent times and, whilst Klopp declined to name names in his post-match interview, did suggest that he was at a loss to describe his players' way of thinking.

He said:"It's (the Champions League) a big influence on the transfer market, especially if you do it (qualify) more often. Players we talk to say 'If you play Champions League, we would be really interested because the club is good, the manager is not bad'.

"Even if you try to extend a contract with a player in the squad. I always think “WTF (what the f***), it's your job to do it'."

A three-goal blitz inside the first 22 minutes gave Liverpool a huge advantage in terms of progressing, before Hoffenheim pulled a goal back just shy of the half hour mark to cause a slight bit of concern among the Anfield faithful.

However, Roberto Firmino's 63rd-minute strike ended Hoffenheim's hopes of a remarkable comeback, despite Sandro Wagner's late consolation 11 minutes from time.

Klopp did reserve particular praise for Firmino who, playing against the club he plied his trade at before he moved to Liverpool, was a key component of all four goals that the Reds notched on the night.

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The German told the Liverpool Echo: "What can I say? We have good players. Roberto Firmino, what a game he made today. He gave the opportunity to the quick boys on the wing and they used it outstandingly good again.

"We were so dominant in the first half so good, so adventurous, so clinical, we could have scored even more - but then we felt the intensity of the game, the relief of the result and that gave us a problem, and great credit to Hoffenheim they never stopped playing.

"They were here to play a good football game in a fantastic stadium and that's what they did. They changed the system a little bit and we should have adjusted quicker, we will in future.

"But the atmosphere was outstanding. But it was too loud for me to get in touch with the boys. We needed half time to adjust a little bit and we did. Second half we controlled it much better."