Napoli player dispute "will make them stronger", says Klopp ahead of Champions League clash

SHOWS: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK (NOVEMBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER JUERGEN KLOPP, AFTER BEING ASKED ABOUT HOW NAPOLI'S PLAYER DISPUTE COULD AFFECT TEHM, SAYING:

"What we expect is that it will make them stronger, so that's what we have to expect, absolutely. I really have not a proper idea about what exactly happened, but if I would be part of the team as a player, I would try to bring the group together and fight against all the things from outside, so that's what we have to expect. I know that Carlo (Ancelotti) is the most experienced manager in world football, and is used to deal with difficult situations and he will make the best of it, 100%."

2. WHITE FLASH

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

"Now they are not in Italy, now they are in Liverpool, now this is a different competition, now they feel maybe, I'm not sure, they feel maybe a kind of relief that they can play completely free in a game like this, and we have to exactly expect that, that's what we do. So, whoever will play for Napoli, will be an outstandingly strong player. And if there is any manager, for the last part of your question, any manager in the world who doesn't need any advice from anybody, and for sure not from me, it is Carlo Ancelotti."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIVERPOOL MANAGER JUERGEN KLOPP, ANSWERING QUESTION ABOUT FIXTURE CONGESTION INCLUDING TWO GAMES IN TWO DAYS IN DECEMBER, SAYING:

"No, I'm fine, we made a decision, we had to make a decision. We made that decision and that's how we did it. We knew about 90% of all the games we have, and there were two games which we weren't 100% sure - there was the Club World Cup, then we decided to go there, and then we had to make a decision about the League Cup, that's what we made, did. So, now it's exactly like we've known since the last couple of weeks, so that's it. It's a tough programme, of course, but we don't think about the fixture list we have in the next weeks or month. We think about Napoli tomorrow, and after that, we will see how we will deal with Brighton after that, and after that, how we deal with Everton, and after that Bournemouth, then Salzburg, then Watford and then Qatar, so that's how it is, a lot to come, but then, in a moment, my only concern is Napoli."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. JUERGEN KLOPP LEAVING THE PRESS CONFERENCE

STORY: Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said Champions League visitors Napoli will be tough to beat on Wednesday night (November 27) regardless of the situation at the Italian club, where the president is reportedly in a standoff with his coach and players.

Gazzetta dello Sport said Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis was set to fine the club's players a quarter of their monthly wages after they broke off a week-long training retreat this month in what Italian media called a mutiny.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli are second in Group E, a point behind Liverpool, and are not yet assured of qualification for the last 16 with two games to go. But Klopp said playing away from Italy may give the players a welcome break.

"What we expect is that it will make them stronger. And now that they're not in Italy, they feel maybe relief they can play in this game. We have to be ready for that," Klopp told reporters at the Liverpool training ground on Tuesday (November 26).

"Whatever has happened, I don't have a real idea. But if I was a player, I'd be trying to bring the group together and fight the things from outside.

A win for either side will assure qualification with a game to spare, and both teams will qualify regardless of the result if winless Genk beat Red Bull Salzburg.

If Liverpool do go though to make their final game in Salzburg on December 10 unimportant, Klopp was asked if this would help them with their fixture pile-up which includes a League Cup semi-final on December 17 and the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final in Doha, Qatar just 24 hours later.

"It's a tough programme, of course, but we don't think about the fixture list we have in the next weeks or month - my only concern is Napoli," he said.

(Production: Mike Brock)