‘Of Course’—Jurgen Klopp Performs Surprise U-Turn Over Man City Charges

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has insisted he is “not really interested” in seeing Manchester City stripped of their Premier League titles, backtracking on a previous admission that he would hold a private parade to celebrate such a verdict.

Klopp’s Liverpool finished runners-up to City in both 2018–19 and 2021–22 and would, hypothetically, be crowned champions if the Cityzens are stripped of any titles won over their major financial rule breaches.

In January 2025, Klopp laughed that he would invite anyone and everyone to a private parade in Mallorca, Spain, to celebrate City’s titles being taken away. Now, however, it is a different story.

“I haven’t given it much thought,” the current boss of the Germany national team said. “I also know that I said that if there’s ever a parade, I’d come. I can only wait and see.

“I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City’s style of football. They played fantastic football and were a top-class opponent for us. If any sanctions are handed out, I have nothing to do with it. I’ll wait and see.

“I don’t really have any strong feelings about it. It’s not like I need to have won the English title a few more times. I’m far from preparing for a title or anything like that. I’m absolutely fine with what we achieved in Liverpool. We fought hard on the pitch.

“I can’t say more about that because I don’t know the details. To be honest, I’m also not really interested in it.”

MORE FALLOUT ON MAN CITY CHARGES VERDICT

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• Man City Charges: The Premier League’s Multi-Year Investigation Explained

• The Potential Punishments Facing Man City for 115 Premier League Charges

• The Premier League Champions If Man City Are Stripped of Titles

Will Man City Be Stripped of Premier League Titles?

Man City squad 2013–14 — The 2013–14 Premier League title was one of three won during the period in question. | Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Premier League regulations include a long list of potential sanctions for clubs found guilty of breaking rules like this. Financial sanctions and point deductions are fairly common in the modern game.

There is no specific mention of stripping a team of silverware won during a period of rule breaches but, crucially, the Premier League do end their list of options with a statement that they are free to give out “such other penalty as it shall think fit.”

Simply put, that means the Premier League do have the power to strip City of their titles and dish out any other punishment they believe fits the alleged crime.

Whether that will actually happen is a separate matter.

When the guilty verdict against City first emerged, it was quickly reported that any punishment is unlikely to be retrospective. BBC Sport noted there was “little appetite” from either the league or rival clubs to strip City of their titles, but that does not mean it is impossible.

If the league did opt to pursue such a sanction, there would be a new debate over which titles would be at risk. City have been punished for their actions between 2009 and 2018, during which they won three Premier League titles: in 2011–12, 2013–14 and 2017–18.

Liverpool finished second to City in 2013–14, but that was before the Klopp era began as Brendan Rogers led a Reds side that included the devastating attacking trio of Luis Suárez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.

A further five Premier League titles have been won since then but, given the platform provided by the financial misconduct between 2009 and 2018, there have been calls for those honors to be wiped from the record as well.

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