JURGEN KLOPP claims clubs who are blocking a return to five substitutions are putting players’ safety at risk – and pointed the finger at Burnley again.
The Liverpool boss insists the move would be crucial in heading off the double whammy of Covid and fixture congestion.
Yet he does not believe it will happen because clubs will block a rise from three subs in their own interests – and not those of the players.
Klopp points the finger at Burnley — whose boss Sean Dyche he’s had several bust-ups with — as one club who would be against the change.
The German, 54, said: “The decision needs 14 votes to change it and that’s something wrong.
“What we realised again in the managers meeting – and we know it has always been like that – is how 14 clubs make the decision to change.
“We have to put competition aside.
“[Five substitutes] is the right decision, especially in this moment, because you bring players back in this moment, after Covid infection or an injury, and because of the games they have to play you risk injury and they have to go out again, maybe after 60 minutes.
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“That is a real problem. This wonderful game is so wonderful because usually the players on the pitch are in good shape, are well trained, are well recovered and go for it.
“That is why we love the game. Now the situation is much more difficult.”
Five subs were allowed following Project Restart after the Covid lockdown of last season, with many players coming back way short of fitness.
But clubs with smaller squads believe that adding to the number of subs would put them at a disadvantage.
Taking aim at Burnley, Klopp added: “There is something wrong. Here is an example.
“With Burnley, I am not too sure how many of their players play international football.
“When our players play three games, they [Burnley] have no game.
How many games does a top-class player play? With the league, some cup games, Champions League, internationals – it’s 50 games. Higher.
Jurgen Klopp
“They have 38 Premier League games and three or four cup games, to make around 42 games a season.
“So we are talking about an issue which some clubs and players definitely have, but it is decided by the other teams and we make a competition of it.
“They say, ‘well they are better than us’, and that is a real problem. It’s Premier League and can still cause us problems.
“How many games does a top-class player play? With the league, some cup games, Champions League, internationals – it’s 50 games. Higher.
“The further you go the harder it is on players. You need luck in these moments and you should not need luck.
“We do not stop discussing it because if we don’t discuss it, it just stays like this.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
