Man City appeal victory not good for football, says Klopp

VIDEO SHOWS: COMMENTS FROM LIVERPOOL MANAGER JUERGEN KLOPP AND ARSENAL MANAGER MIKEL ARTETA ON MANCHESTER CITY'S TWO-YEAR UEFA BAN FROM EUROPEAN FOOTBALL BEING OVERTURNED BY CAS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK (JULY 14, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING:

"I have absolutely, I don't wish anybody anything bad as I said, I'm happy that (Manchester) City can play Champions League but I don't think it was a good day for football yesterday to be honest just because I think FFP (Financial Fair Play) is a good idea, it is there for protecting teams and protecting the competition, that was the idea in the start that nobody overspends and stuff like this, clubs before the season, have to make sure the money they want to spend is based on the right sources let me say like this. And I'm on top of it I've come from Germany, I'm educated in a completely different system''

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER, JUERGEN KLOPP, SAYING:

"It's not up to me to judge this and I don't I only think this FFP frame which is for all of us, we should stick to, that's all I can say. I really hope that FFP stays just because it gives at least kind of like borders where you can go to but not over it and I think that's good for football honestly. If we start doing that nobody has to care anymore, at all, then the richest people and countries just do what they want in football that would make competition really difficult and I think that would lead automatically then into a kind of world superleague with like ten clubs and then I don't know exactly the clubs it depends not to the name of the clubs but the people who owns the clubs and then they can play against each other. I think it makes sense that we have these kind of rules but about the case from yesterday, the judgement from yesterday, I don't know enough, I didn't understand it properly why this was the judgement, I don't know.''

4. WHITE FLASH

LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JULY 14, 2020) (ARSENAL HANDOUT - ACCESS ALL)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ARSENAL MANAGER, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

"Well there is no question about what happens, they completely deserve to be in Champions League because what they've done on the pitch is unquestionable and then the regulators have looked at it and have decided that they haven't done anything wrong. So you have the two aspects which are really clear and transparent and they're going to be in Champions League next year for what they do on the pitch and what they do outside the pitch.''

STORY: Liverpool boss Juergen Klopp described as "not a good day for football" Manchester City's successful appeal against a two-year UEFA ban for allegedly breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

"I don't think it was a good day for football yesterday, to be honest," Klopp told a virtual news conference on Tuesday (July 14).

"FFP is a good idea. It is there for protecting teams and the competition, so that nobody overspends and have to make sure the money they want to spend is based on the right sources."

City won their appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday (July 13), meaning they will now be allowed to compete in next season's Champions League.

CAS ruled that City did not breach FFP rules by disguising equity funding as sponsorship.

"It's not up to me to judge this and I don't but I think this FFP framework we should stick to. I hope FFP stays just because it gives kind of borders that you can go to, but not over it, and that's good for football," Klopp said.

"If you start doing that nobody has to care any more and the richest people or countries can do what they want.

"It will make the competition really difficult and I think that would lead automatically to a kind of world super league with like 10 clubs and it would depend on who owns the clubs and not the names of the clubs. It makes sense to have these rules."

Klopp did say, however, that City's place in the Champions League next season might at least benefit Liverpool as they try to retain their Premier League title.

"They won't have 10 or 12 games less now -- no other team would have had a chance in the (Premier) league," he said.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta backed his former club saying they deserve to be in next year's Champions League for their efforts ''on and off the pitch.''

Arsenal's hopes of qualifying for Europe took a severe blow when they lost 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

Arteta said the defeat by Tottenham had left a sour taste, but added his side would continue fighting for a Europa League spot and for a place in the FA Cup final. They face Manchester City in the semi-final on Saturday.

Liverpool face Arsenal on Wednesday knowing defeat would end their chances of equalling Manchester City's record 100-point haul in the Premier League set two years ago.

With three games remaining they have 93 points with City a distant second on 72.

(Production: Stefan Haskins, Aiden Nulty)