Jurgen Klopp has dismissed suggestions Liverpool should benefit from Manchester City's financial doping verdict, insisting he is content with the trophies his team won on the pitch. The former Liverpool manager, now in charge of Germany, made his comments after an independent commission found City guilty of disguising £900 million in payments over a nine-year period, a ruling that could lead to sanctions including title stripping.

Klopp said he has not given the matter much thought and will not campaign for additional honours. "Of course I’ve heard about that, but I haven’t given it much thought," Klopp told reporters ahead of Germany's match against Serbia. "If any sanctions are handed out, I have nothing to do with it. I’ll wait and see." He stressed his focus remains on his current role and his pride in Liverpool's genuine achievements. "I’m absolutely fine with what we achieved at Liverpool. We fought hard on the pitch," he added.

Respect for Guardiola and past rivalry

Despite the intense rivalry that defined an era, Klopp maintained his respect for Pep Guardiola and the quality of City's football. "I have big respect for Pep Guardiola and City’s style of football," he said. "They played fantastic football and were a top-class opponent for us." That rivalry saw Liverpool finish as Premier League runners-up to City on three occasions under Klopp, including two agonising one-point deficits in the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons. In the 2021-22 season, Liverpool amassed 92 points, finishing just a single point behind City after a dramatic final day. The Reds' 97-point haul in 2018-19 remains the highest total for a second-placed side in English top-flight history.

The financial case and its context

The commission's damning 40-page verdict concluded City artificially inflated sponsorship agreements and used disguised payments from its Abu Dhabi owners to circumvent spending rules. The club was found guilty on 114 of 115 initial charges across six categories, including failing to provide accurate financial information and breaching profitability and sustainability rules. While potential punishments are still to be decided, the findings have reignited debate over the legitimacy of City's dominance, during which they won six Premier League titles under Guardiola.

Klopp acknowledged a past joke about celebrating if City were ever sanctioned, but he now feels differently. "I know I once said something that I’d come if there was ever a parade, but it doesn’t feel like that now," he said. "I don’t feel like I need to have my bus parade. I can wait and stay totally relaxed." That previous remark, made in January 2025, saw him joke about buying beer in Mallorca for a hypothetical celebration.

The current Liverpool side, sitting sixth in the Premier League with nine points from five games, are preparing to host the league leaders. That match will be a stark reminder of the modern rivalry, coming after a heavy 4-0 defeat at the Etihad last April. Klopp's successor now faces the task of closing a six-point gap to the champions, whose off-field turmoil casts a long shadow over their on-pitch success. The club's current standings position and recent form, which includes a 1-0 win at Bournemouth, show the challenge ahead as a new chapter in this complex rivalry begins.

First reported at Daily Mail Sport