Jurgen Klopp reveals he saw Mo Salah ‘smiling’ in the canteen this morning and he ‘wasn’t in a bad mood’ – as he insists he has no issue with the Liverpool star admitting he was ‘totally devastated’ to miss out on the Champions League
- On Thursday, it was confirmed Liverpool failed to make the Champions League
- While Mohamed Salah said he was ‘totally devastated’, his mood improved
- Jurgen Klopp told reporters the Egyptian seemed ‘happy’ in the club canteen
Jurgen Klopp said that Mohamed Salah was ‘smiling’ in the Liverpool canteen despite expressing his disappointment at failing to qualify for the Champions League.
Manchester United’s 4-1 win over Chelsea on Thursday night confirmed that the Reds will miss out on Europe’s elite club competition next season, and have to settle for the Europa League instead.
Last night, once Liverpool’s fate was confirmed, the Egyptian wrote on social media: ‘I’m totally devastated. There’s absolutely no excuse for this.’
However, in his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s final game of the season at bottom club Southampton, Klopp said that Salah’s mood was just fine despite Thursday’s disappointment.
Klopp told reporters: ‘It’s completely normal. This wasn’t an historically good season. We made mistakes. I saw Mo an hour ago in the canteen and he was smiling. He wasn’t in a bad mood.’
Mohamed Salah said he’s ‘totally devastated’ Liverpool won’t be in the Champions League
Jurgen Klopp said that Salah’s feeling did not stop him from seeming ‘happy’ in the canteen
In the presser, Klopp was also asked whether Liverpool’s failure to make the Champions League would impact on their transfer dealings.
The German replied: ‘I don’t think so but we will see. In an ideal world they would all sign tomorrow but it won’t happen like that.’
Following last weekend’s results, including Liverpool’s late draw against Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester United needed just a point each to secure Champions League football.
Klopp’s Liverpool will play in the Europa League next season for the first time since 2015-16
Newcastle got theirs in Monday’s draw against Leicester, while Man United picked up all three in a comprehensive victory over a lacklustre Chelsea team on Thursday.
In his post in the moments after Man United’s win, Salah wrote: ‘I’m totally devastated. There’s absolutely no excuse for this. We had everything we needed to make it to next year’s Champions League and we failed.
‘We are Liverpool and qualifying to the competition is the bare minimum. I am sorry but it’s too soon for an uplifting or optimistic post. We let you and ourselves down.’
Liverpool will play in the Europa League for the first time since they lost in the final to Sevilla in the 2015-16 season.
