Liverpool v Ajax: Jurgen Klopp confident fans will honour minute's silence for Queen Elizabeth II (2022)
 Posted on : Sep 13, 2022, 12:15PM   27 total views  Category : Sports

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp said the defeat to Napoli was his worst as Liverpool manager

 

Jurgen Klopp is confident Liverpool fans will respect a minute's silence for Queen Elizabeth II before Tuesday's Champions League match against Ajax.

 

Liverpool fans booed 'Abide With Me' and 'God Save the Queen' before last season's FA Cup final at Wembley.

 

Boris Johnson, Prime Minister at that time, condemned those who booed.

 

Klopp said a minute's silence is "the right thing to do" adding: "I don't think our people need any kind of advice from me for showing respect,"

 

A minute's silence will be held before the game after a request from Liverpool to Uefa.

 

Manager Klopp said the respect shown by supporters to Cristiano Ronaldo when they hosted Manchester United last season - following the death of the forward's baby boy - demonstrated there should be no concerns about their behaviour.

 

"There are plenty of examples where people showed exactly the right respect," he added.

 

"One which surprised me, and I was really proud of that moment, was last season when we played Manchester United around a very sad situation with Cristiano Ronaldo's family.

 

"And that is what I expect. For me, it is clear that's what we have to do. That's it."

 

Klopp's mother - named Elisabeth - died aged 81 in February last year, but he was unable to attend the funeral in person due to the Covid travel restrictions in place at the time.

 

He said he understood the grief people were feeling and added: "I am 55 years old and she is the only Queen of England I ever knew. I don't know her, but the things you can see she was a really warm, nice-loved lady and that is all that I need to know.

 

"Because of my personal experience not too long ago... It is obviously not about what I think, but what people felt who are much closer to her and I respect their grief a lot, and that is why I will show my respect tomorrow night with the minute's silence if it goes through."

 

'Napoli game was worst since I came here'

Liverpool were beaten 4-1 by Napoli in their Champions League Group A opener last Wednesday, in what Klopp said was the worst game the team had played since he took charge in 2015.

 

He described up to nine of his starting XI for the game as playing below their capability, and said they had used the days since to analyse and train for the Ajax match.

 

Klopp said: "We had a meeting with the players, I watched the [Napoli] game and it was a real horror to be honest. It was the worst game we played since I am here.

 

"How can you get confidence in football? It all starts with defending the ball, and that's what we have to do. If we can get momentum, then we can play football."

 

It has been six days since Liverpool last played, with all Premier League matches at the weekend postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

 

Asked if the break could impact Liverpool's rhythm, Klopp added: "Did you see our game [against Napoli]? If we could lose this kind of rhythm it would be really cool."

 

Meanwhile. Liverpool will be without defender Andrew Robertson until after the international break with a knee injury.

 

-- Courtesy of BBC Sport

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