TA: Klopp's achievements at Liverpool more commendable after man City violations

The Athletic lauded Klopp's achievements at Liverpool, stating that in light of Manchester City's breaches, the Liverpool team Klopp built now appears even more remarkable.

The report claims that for Jürgen Klopp, glory and trophies were never the most important things.

The German coach left Anfield in May 2024, exhausted but satisfied with what he had achieved during his eight-and-a-half-year tenure at Liverpool.

The final stop of his emotional farewell tour was the M&S Bank Arena in the city, where 10,000 spectators gave him a thunderous ovation that brought tears to his eyes.

Klopp, puffing his cheeks and trying to collect his thoughts on stage, said, "I don't think humans are born for the amount of attention I've received in the last few weeks. I'm not ready for so much love. Apart from marrying Ulla, coming to Liverpool was the best decision of my life."

"If leaving was easy, how valuable would our time together have been? Leaving is really hard, and it should be. Don't be sad that it's over, be happy that it happened."

When host John Bishop turned the conversation to rivals Manchester City, Klopp spoke about the two Premier League title races – the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons – where Liverpool narrowly lost to Manchester City by just one point. He appeared remarkably nonchalant about it.

"You might remember our game against Manchester City, where the ball was almost entirely over the line, but John Stones cleared it off the line," Klopp recalled.

"Then in Manchester City's game against Burnley, a goal was also just barely not counted. Can it get any unluckier? That's the truth. I don't wake up in the middle of the night thinking, 'My god, just 11 inches!' (Stones' clearance was actually just 11 millimeters from being fully over the line). And let's talk about Manchester City's game against Everton in February 2022, Rodri's handball in the box wasn't given as a penalty, come on! But even then, I was still happy.

"If I were to leave football tonight, how much difference would it make if you had won three league titles? The bond we built has nothing to do with trophies. This bond is built on trust, togetherness, and all the ups and downs we've been through together."

Klopp's words are not without merit. His legendary status at Anfield does not depend on a long list of honors: the Champions League, Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup, FA Cup, and two League Cups. His true legacy is the journey he masterminded, his electrifying attacking football, and his charismatic ability to ignite fan passion and unite everyone on the path forward.

However, after an independent commission ruled that Manchester City had committed almost all of the alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations, Klopp's footballing legacy also needs to be re-examined.

Klopp's Liverpool against Guardiola's Manchester City was arguably the most captivating rivalry in the Premier League era. Their contests, unlike the touchline clashes between Ferguson's Manchester United and Wenger's Arsenal, were characterized by mutual respect.

But in terms of tactical battles and the top-tier quality of play, the rivalry between Klopp and Guardiola was unprecedented. Both managers built two of the greatest teams in English football history, pushing each other to new heights.

Klopp never shied away from stating that Manchester City had a significant advantage in transfer spending. However, the football world has clear divisions, and outside of Liverpool fans, few would empathize with this regret.

The common rebuttal is that Liverpool themselves are certainly not short of money. In January 2018, Liverpool spent £75 million to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton, and six months later, they invested £65 million to bring Alisson from Roma. These two transfers set new records for defenders and goalkeepers at the time. But few mention that the funds for these game-changing signings came from the £142 million sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

However, the Premier League's core arbitration document, revealed last week, uncovered the truth: the scales were heavily tipped in Manchester City's favor from the outset of this title race. The document confirmed that between 2009 and 2018, Manchester City artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs through related-party transactions with commercial partners, involving over £900 million (approximately $1.19 billion).

Premier League CEO Richard Masters stated that the investigation revealed nearly a decade of systemic rule-breaking by the club. Manchester City, meanwhile, claims to have "irrefutable evidence" of its innocence and has appealed the ruling. The club's statement insists: "We have not committed the breaches alleged by the Premier League."

If the appeal fails, regardless of whether relevant titles are stripped or reallocated, all of Guardiola's achievements at the Etihad will forever be tainted.

The allegations cover the period up to 2018, but the investments from these extra funds laid the groundwork for Manchester City's continued dominance in the Premier League after 2018.

Data released by the commission shows that after Klopp joined Liverpool, Manchester City's inflated commercial revenues continued to increase: an inflated £107.2 million in the 2014-15 season, £120.2 million in 2015-16, £129.6 million in 2016-17, and £134.7 million in 2017-18.

Over the decade from 2009 to 2018, Manchester City spent approximately £1.2 billion on player transfers, with a net spend of about £1 billion. In the same period, Liverpool's total transfer expenditure was about £814 million, with a net spend of only £337 million.

During his time at Anfield, Klopp had to maintain the club's financial balance, a stark contrast to Manchester City. In that era, for Liverpool to challenge for the title, they had to ensure every major signing was precisely right, and largely, they succeeded. Klopp rarely bought established stars, instead focusing on unearthing potential and refining ordinary players into world-class talents.

While it wasn't like bringing a pistol to a cannon fight, looking back at the Liverpool team Klopp built, it appears even more remarkable.

In the 2018-19 season, Liverpool achieved 97 points, which remains the highest points total for a runner-up in English top-flight history. In May 2024, Klopp again brought up Stones' goal-line clearance – it was this clearance that decided the thrilling 2-1 match at the Etihad in January 2019. That was Liverpool's only league defeat that season. That year, they were agonizingly close to winning the title, and even challenging for an unbeaten centurion season.

A staggering statistic: from February 2019 to February 2020, Klopp's Liverpool amassed 110 points out of a possible 114, equivalent to a full 38-game league performance.

After a 30-year wait, Liverpool finally won the league title in the 2019-20 season with 99 points, 18 points ahead of Manchester City. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, they couldn't enjoy the celebratory parade a championship usually brings. Klopp admitted this was his biggest regret.

"Winning the Premier League and not even having a parade, it's ridiculous," he told the fans at the M&S Bank Arena that night. "In some ways, it's very Liverpool, always having to go through hardships."

Klopp's Liverpool came within a whisker of an unprecedented quadruple in the 2021-22 season. After winning both domestic cups, they narrowly lost the league title to Manchester City with 92 points; then, in the Champions League final, they met a sensational Courtois and unfortunately lost to Real Madrid.

Looking back at these fine margins, it's not hard to imagine: if Manchester City had adhered to the league rules they signed up for, Klopp's Liverpool could have won even more trophies.

Imagine how dull English football would be without Klopp's Liverpool. If Liverpool hadn't won the title in the 2019-20 season, Guardiola's Manchester City could have clinched seven consecutive league titles.

Klopp had previously joked that if Manchester City were found guilty and stripped of their trophies, he would return for Liverpool's title parade. But when asked about the Manchester City ruling at a press conference last week, he chose not to add fuel to the fire.

At the time, Klopp was focused on Germany's Nations League match against Serbia; as the German national team coach, he hadn't won his first two official matches, so he had more pressing matters to worry about. He also knew that with Manchester City appealing, the entire process was far from settled.

"I remember saying before that I would be there if there was a parade, but now my thoughts are different," Klopp told reporters. "I have immense respect for Guardiola and for the football Manchester City played when we faced them. I miss the brilliant games that team brought to the pitch. I don't want to say much more now. I don't need this to give myself another English title."

When Manchester City visit Anfield, Liverpool fans won't be as calm as Klopp. The Merseyside faithful are full of indignation, and Enzo Maresca's Manchester City will face the fury of the Kop.

Iraola's task will be to leverage the home crowd's energy to disrupt Manchester City's rhythm.

This will also be the first time since March 2015 that the two teams have met without Klopp or Guardiola on the sidelines. In that game, Coutinho scored, helping Rodgers' Liverpool defeat Pellegrini's Manchester City. The protagonists may have changed, but the marks of history are deeply imprinted on this major event. And after the ruling, this history needs to be rewritten.

For a long time, Guardiola's dominance overshadowed Klopp. Manchester City's formidable team made Klopp appear as a tenacious challenger who always fell short.

However, no matter how outstanding Guardiola's coaching talent, the commission's ruling indicates that his club did not play by the same rules. This should lead to greater recognition of Klopp's coaching achievements.

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