Furious Jurgen Klopp explodes in anger when asked if Naples is dangerous city with Liverpool fans stabbed in past visits
JURGEN KLOPP exploded in anger when asked whether Napoli is a dangerous place.
English fans who have been chased down streets, attacked in bars and stabbed up the backside probably know the answer.
On Tuesday afternoon, Liverpool used their social media channels to warn Reds fans to stay in their hotels until the game and avoid going out after being attacked in all of their three visits in 2010, 2018 and 2019.
Yet, it is on the pitch at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium that has proved to be a really nasty place for Klopp.
He was sent off here after just 30 minutes as Borussia Dortmund manager in a 2-1 loss in September 2013 and later apologised for his outburst.
And then in both his matches for Liverpool in the Champions League in 2018 and the season after, his team was beaten by Carlo Ancelotti-led teams.
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Asked, rather aggressively by the journalist about the off-field threats in Naples, Klopp said: “That’s an embarrassing question from you. You want to create headlines? I really don’t understand it.
“Are you from Napoli? Do you think it’s a dangerous city? I don’t know. I don’t live a normal life in Napoli.
“I am protected here, go to the hotel and now you ask me what I think about Napoli. You know exactly what people are talking about. If some supporters meet some supporters, something can happen.
“Nothing to do with the city, so I don’t know. But I am not here to create headlines for you.”
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About four hours earlier, Liverpool warned: “Supporters arriving in Naples prior to matchday should remain in their respective hotel to drink and eat. You are strongly advised not to wear team colours when travelling.
“Fans should not congregate in public areas and should avoid becoming isolated in areas away from the port area of the city. We strongly recommend you avoid the city centre.
“If you chose to visit, please beware that you may be targeted for theft, robbery, or assault. As per the Italian authorities, you’re advised to always carry your valid photo ID.”
It is a shame travelling fans struggle here as Napoli is genuinely a fascinating, bustling place — but it is best to go when there is not a European football match.
Hopefully all the fans arrive safely and then Liverpool can do what they are here to do, win a football match.
But that is something that has not been done by Klopp in Naples.
He said: “I have never won here. Not with Liverpool. Not with Dortmund. I am a late bloomer.
“I need a little bit longer to achieve and it means I have to try two times, sometimes three times, sometimes four times so now Napoli, this is the fourth time.
“What do we have to do? Play better than in the previous three games. We lost because we did not play particularly well when we came here. Another reason Napoli are pretty strong.”
The last time Liverpool played in this competition was June where their hopes of ending the season in style ended with a 1-0 loss to Real Madrid in the final.
Keeper Alisson said: “The day after it was really difficult because you are frustrated about the result and that you didn’t get your trophy, the main goal.
“But in the end, we are footballers, we are professional players. We have to deal with those kind of things.”
Alisson was asked whether that Paris loss will give them an extra incentive.
When they won in 2019, the players said losing 12 months earlier to Real in Kiev had given them some extra fire.
The Brazilian said: “We can try to use that as an extra motivation, but in my opinion we don’t need that.
“Being here, playing in the Champions League against a big club like Napoli in a really difficult group stage is motivation enough for us.
“We are going to fight to go through the group stage and think step by step.”
Meanwhile, Klopp hinted that new loan arrival from Juventus, Arthur Melo, could appear as a sub tonight.
Klopp said: “Arthur needs now just football, training especially, that’s how it is.
“He wasn’t in team training for a while at Juve so he needs proper team training and that’s what we are doing with him.
“Can he play minutes? Yes. Should he play a full game? No, because he needs to get used to the intensity in each competition.”
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NAPOLI (likely): Meret, Di Lorenzo, Kim, Rrahmani, Rui, Zielinski, Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia, Politano.
LIVERPOOL (likely): Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson, Thiago, Fabinho, Elliott, Salah, Nunez, Diaz.