Jürgen Klopp has hit back at Frank Lampard for his post-match accusation of ‘arrogance’ against Liverpool, telling him he needs to learn to keep his competitive edge within the 90 minutes of football.
Frank Lampard, Jurgen Klopp and members of the Red’s backroom staff were involved in a heated row during their midweek Premier League game, which ended in a 5-3 victory for the Premier League champions.
A tackle by Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic on Liverpool’s Sadio Mané was the source of the heated argument between the two sides.
Klopp says he had no problem with the comments made in the heat of the moment, but was unhappy with the post-match observation by the Chelsea boss.
“You cannot hit me and my bench with something like that because we are not arrogant,” said Klopp. “Frank was obviously in a really competitive mood and I respect that a lot. From my point of view in this sort of situation you can say pretty much what you want. For me, it is after the game it is completely over.
“I said a lot in the past because it is pure emotion, he came here to win the game or get a point — to make Champions League qualification — and I respect that a lot.
“But what he has to learn is to finish it with the final whistle and he didn’t do that. Speaking afterwards about it like this, that’s not okay, Frank has to learn this and he has a lot of time to learn as he is a young coach. But that is what he has to learn.
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“During the game, words used? No problem at all. But final whistle?
“We are not arrogant. We are pretty much the opposite of. In an argument you want to say something to hurt the other person. I have no problem with that.
“But at the final whistle close the book. He didn’t do that and that is what I don’t like. The reason I speak now about it is because he spoke after about it and I feel the need to explain.”
