Jurgen Klopp had no option but to cut short a Champions League press conference after being left bewildered by the line of questions.
Liverpool’s manager arrived at Sheraton Hotel close to Shermetyevo Airport ahead of his meeting with the media, which was due to start at 7pm local time. Klopp had trained his squad at Melwood on Monday morning before heading out to Moscow.
He was greeted by enthusiastic locals who wanted pictures and autographs, which he signed for heading for the press conference room but it was in there that the situation changed with Klopp becoming increasingly perplexed as the official interpreter started translating his answers before he had finished talking.
Jurgen Klopp was left unimpressed after being asked whether he ‘loved any of his players’
The Liverpool boss said the question was ‘a waste of time’ at his pre-match press conference
The tipping point came when Klopp, whose side are looking to take control of Group E by beating Spartak Moscow, was asked by one broadcaster which of his players “he loved” following Mauricio Pochettino’s weekend comments about Harry Kane.
‘I’m really impressed that we are in a Champions League press conference and talk about things like this,’ Klopp said.
‘I really don’t understand the business anymore but yes I said I love the club, that includes the players.’
The interpreter on hand then began to translate his answer for the Russian journalists present. But Klopp stopped her mid-sentence, claiming: ‘It’s not important.’
Klopp was speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow
Klopp left the press conference after the question from the British journalist in Moscow
‘The question and my answer were not important for Russia it was just an English thing. Pochettino loves Kane and who do I love, that’s the question. A waste of time.’
Klopp then walked out of the press conference ahead of the clash with Spartak at the Otkrytiye Arena.
Liverpool will be hoping to secure their first win in this season’s competition in Tuesday’s meeting, having been held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Sevilla in their first group game.
The Anfield stalemate again prompted questions surrounding Liverpool’s back four. And though Klopp accepted that his side need to defend better as a whole, he claimed they will be prepared for any threat Spartak pose.
‘It will be intense, difficult – how Champions League football is,’ he said.
Klopp hailed the performance of Liverpool talisman Philippe Coutinho in their win at Leicester
‘They are a strong, experienced side. They were very successful last season, this season they have had problems with injuries. We will be ready and we need to be ready.
‘Defence how I understand it is a team work thing. That’s what we’ve been speaking about. We need to do that better and that’s what we are working at all the time.’
Further up the pitch Philippe Coutinho is set to make his first European start of the season, having marked his return to the fold at Anfield with a free-kick in their victory over Leicester.
Klopp said the forward was ‘fantastic’ at the King Power but can still get even better.
‘Phil is still a young player so I hope he can still develop. He was in good shape before his back problems and now he’s in good shape again,’ he said.
‘He had a fantastic game for us last weekend and is very important.