In a recent development, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has gone on record stating that the Club World Cup is, in fact, the “most important” for the Reds at the moment. His statement comes after there has been a lot of criticism regarding their decision to give priority to the event.

However, Klopp insists that the competition should not take place between the ongoing European season.

Asked in a media conference whether there is a lack of respect for the Club World Cup in England, Klopp told a media conference: “I’m not sure, I don’t know about respect in England,” Klopp said at a press conference when asked whether there is a lack of respect for the Club World Cup in the English football circuit.

“We are here now, we are completely focused on that. If you asked me beforehand if you think there should be a Club World Cup in the middle of our season I would say no, that’s my honest opinion.

“We speak about that constantly. The importance is easy, we are here so it’s the most important competition in the world for us at this moment.”

The format to the Club World Cup will change in 2021, with 24 teams from six confederations taking part in a tournament starting in June. The European Club Association called for European clubs to boycott that competition and Klopp too has significant reservations.

“Can it be an even bigger tournament in future? I think the FIFA plan is a team world cup in the summer, but it’s in a summer where the African Cup [of Nations] is as well and there are other competitions as well.

“That doesn’t work out, they have to sit together on a table and have to make sure that we have great competitions but not in the same time.

“Obviously a lot of people are interested, I like being here, we want to show up here, we have a lot of fans in this part of the world, they usually have to come to us or follow us at night time if they want to watch our games, so that’s nice to become closer from time to time, but from the organisation point of view, everybody needs to think about it.

“FIFA cannot plan a tournament in the summer and UEFA says ‘ok we play one’ as well in the same moment and the South American confederation says ‘sorry but our tournament is more important’.

“You cannot just add on tournaments, it doesn’t work,” the German tactician concluded.