Klopp refuses to condemn Man City's financial breaches out of respect for Guardiola

Jurgen Klopp has declined to comment on Manchester City's financial case, citing his respect for Pep Guardiola and City's football during their intense Premier League rivalry, while saying he is comfortable with Liverpool's achievements.

In Short

• Klopp says his respect for Guardiola makes him reluctant to comment on City's case
• Manchester City were found guilty of serious financial breaches by an independent commission
• Klopp says he is comfortable with Liverpool's achievements despite the City case

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has declined to weigh in on Manchester City's financial rules case, saying his deep respect for Pep Guardiola and the football his side produced during their intense Premier League rivalry makes it difficult for him to comment on the matter.

An independent commission found Manchester City guilty of serious financial breaches on Tuesday. The club has denied wrongdoing and is expected to appeal the decision, with any potential sanctions yet to be determined.

Klopp, whose Liverpool team twice finished just one point behind City in the Premier League title race, had previously joked that he would attend a parade if Liverpool were eventually awarded titles retrospectively because of developments in the case.

However, the German said on Wednesday that his view had changed and that he no longer felt comfortable making such comments.

"I haven't given it much thought, even though I've seen it of course," Klopp told reporters.

"I also know what I said about it in the past and how if there's ever a parade I'll be there, but it doesn't feel like that anymore."

KLOPP ON CITY CASE

Klopp's nine-year spell at Liverpool saw him develop one of the Premier League's defining rivalries with Guardiola and Manchester City. The two teams repeatedly pushed each other to extraordinary levels, with Liverpool narrowly missing out on the title on two occasions.

Klopp said the quality of City's football, combined with the level of competition they provided Liverpool, meant he did not want to draw conclusions about the implications of the financial case.

"My respect for Pep Guardiola and the football played at City during the time we played against each other... plus what an opponent they proved to be for us at the very highest level is far too great for me to be able to say anything now," he said.

During Klopp's time at Anfield, Liverpool won the Premier League and Champions League, among other major honours, while City established themselves as one of the dominant teams in English football.

Klopp left Liverpool in 2024 after nine years in charge but remains closely associated with the club's most successful period in the modern Premier League era.

The former Liverpool boss also stressed that the uncertainty surrounding City's case did not alter how he viewed his former team's achievements.

Klopp said he was comfortable with what Liverpool accomplished during his tenure, regardless of what eventually happens to Manchester City.

Rather than speculate about possible penalties or whether previous Premier League results could be affected, Klopp said he preferred to let the legal and disciplinary process take its course.

City are expected to appeal the commission's findings, meaning the final consequences of the case remain unresolved. Until that process is completed, Klopp indicated that he would rather focus on the football and rivalry that defined his years competing against Guardiola's Manchester City.

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