'Killing the game' - Jurgen Klopp gathers support over Liverpool fixture plea

The head of the Professional Footballers’ Association has sided with Jurgen Klopp regarding complaints over the congested fixture schedule.

The Liverpool boss has been a long-time critic of the packed football calendar. However, he is not the only Premier League boss to raise concerns, with Pep Guardiola previously urging players to take a stand.

The City boss saw Kevin De Bruyne limp off with a serious injury in the Champions League final, with teammate Rodri complaining about the hectic timetable after having played 67 matches for his club and country last season.

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Both of these instances have been highlighted by PFA chief Maheta Molango as proof that the overcrowding of the fixture list is diluting the welfare of the game ahead of the forthcoming expanded Champions League and Club World Cup formats.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, as per the BBC, Molango said: “(De Bruyne going off) is surely not what we want to see. The Champions League final is supposed to be our Super Bowl.

“It wasn’t because one of the best players in the world, De Bruyne, was out in the 30th minute; (Erling) Haaland was exhausted; Rodri, who is a top athlete, said after 60 minutes he had cramps. For us, we’ve reached a stage where it is not just about the health of the player, it is about us killing the product.”

Back in November, Klopp bemoaned the Saturday lunchtime kick-off time for Liverpool’s trip to Man City, which caused a tight turnaround for South American players featuring in internationals, and insisted more rest was needed.

“How can you put a