Klopp hints at opening day absentees – admits EUROs stars may require an extended pre-season

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Jurgen Klopp has suggested that some of our players who took part in the EUROs will be given an extended pre-season, potentially putting their participation against Arsenal on the Premier League’s opening day in doubt.

Klopp, who was speaking to the official site after touching down in the United States for our pre-season tour, admitted his squad would still not be ready to face the Gunners, even after games against Chelsea, AC Milan, and Roma on the other side of the Atlantic.

“It’s not possible [to be ready for Arsenal] because we have another 10 days or more [before then] and two games against Barcelona and Mainz, so that’s quite intense. Then we have another full week before we play Arsenal,” he said.

“For the players who come later and we will have to see. Maybe we will have to extend the pre-season for them for another week or two, that depends on what shape they will join us to be honest. In the last two years with my former teams it was always like this.

“I’ve no idea what [the team vs Arsenal] will be.”

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He also admitted it was the first time he’d have played a game in the United States and was looking forward to experiencing the passionate support:

“It’s my first experience of it,” he said

“It was a bit different with me being the Borussia Dortmund manager then to being the Liverpool manager now, because there are a few more Liverpool fans over there than Dortmund! Everybody has told me how big the club is and you get a feel of how big it is when you are in places like Asia and America, so I’m excited by this.”

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