“Doesn’t make sense”: Jurgen Klopp nails it with blunt fixture list assessment

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Jurgen Klopp has once again offered his thoughts on the insane fixture schedule that English teams have to go through each season, rightly pointing out that in other countries, a far more sensible approach is taken.

In Italy, for instance, a league with the same number of teams in it as the Premier League, the players get an additional two weeks off before the new season begins this year.

International breaks are often pointed out as a time for players to rest, but they also mean that extensive travelling must take place for often meaningless or one-sided matches to be completed.

According to This Is Anfield, Klopp said: “There are international breaks, but the [players] probably have to play qualifiers, for I don’t know what exactly, but they will be away. That’s the situation.

“I spoke with Carlo Ancelotti [during the friendly against Napoli in Edinburgh]. Italy has 20 teams as well and starts the season on the 24th of August.

“[Kalidou] Koulibaly, who played together with Sadio at the Africa Cup of Nations, has four weeks holiday, he’s not even close to coming back. They have 20 teams as well, I don’t know why we start so early.”

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It makes zero sense to pack in so many games, but with England having two domestic cups when most leagues only have one, there is little choice right now.

Getting rid of the Carabao Cup would make a lot of sense, but there is probably too much money in it for that to be realistic.

Klopp knows that nothing is going to be done, with next summer set to be even busier for most players.

He added: “Next year is Copa America and [the Euros], and I think it’s the same weekend that we start [playing again] in England. Somebody has to [consider it].

“I don’t know why. The Premier League is such a wonderful product that everybody will watch it anyway. We don’t need these two weeks where nobody is playing in the world, only England, it doesn’t make sense.

“I love [football] but somebody has to think of the players.”

The Reds could play another 60 matches or so this season, having done the same last year, with the World Cup, Africa Cup of Nations, Copa America and then the European Championships filling in any time for a breather.

The squad is going to be very stretched at times this season – which is why many fans are desperate to see a new signing or two come in.

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