Jurgen Klopp has called for Liverpool's 12.30pm kick-off against Newcastle to be rearranged to help with the Reds' progression in the Champions League. As things stand the Magpies are set to host Liverpool at St. James Park on April 30th, just three days after the first leg of their European semi-final against Villareal.
Klopp's side will then travel to Spain the following week for the second-leg but he believes the way the fixture list piles up is unfair. He's called for the broadcaster and Premier League to change the kick-off to allow his side the best possible change at completing a historic quadruple.
The Reds won the Carabao Cup earlier this year and are just a point behind Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title after last weekend's 2-2 draw. The two sides are set to face off again at the weekend in the FA Cup semi-final, with City having to fly back from Madrid for the fixture.
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Klopp told The Athletic :“If you want to cause us problems you send us to 12.30 at Newcastle. I don’t understand it. I can understand that people want to see a football match between Liverpool and Newcastle but I don’t see why any team should have an advantage or a disadvantage.
“The league and the broadcaster really have to try at least to help. We will see. I haven’t heard anything yet. Nobody from BT contacted me yet. But I’d say common sense would tell you that it's probably the right thing to do to move the game slightly backwards.”
Klopp denied that his side would have an advantage having played Benfica at Anfield on Wednesday night, with City having to travel back from Madrid. He said: added: “We had it last week before we played City (in the Premier League). We had an away game and arrived the next day. Travelling is intense.
“Will it give an advantage? I have no idea. For both teams I think their games were intense.”