Categories: World Soccer

Klopp advice to Liverpool fans in Rome ‘Behave!’

Sean Cox, a 53-year-old Irishman and father of three, is in a Liverpool hospital after suffering a serious head injury following an attack by Roma fans ahead of last Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg.

Two Italian men have been remanded in custody facing charges over the incident.

Liverpool won the game 5-2. The return is next Wednesday in Rome.

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Liverpool are to hold talks with Roma, UEFA and the Italian police on Friday seeking reassurance over security.

At his press conference on Friday, Klopp wore a small pin of the club’s Liverbird emblem in the green, white and orange of the Irish tricolour, as a sign of respect for Cox.

The Liverpool boss said his advice to fans going to Wednesday’s second leg in Rome was to stay out of trouble.

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“What can I say? Behave? It’s easy to say!” said Klopp.

“Behave! It’s common sense. You want to be safe. I never saw (trouble from fans) since I have been here.

“I really don’t like that part of football. I don’t get it.

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“It should not be like this. It’s a wonderful game and if we want away supporters at stadiums we have to show our responsibility.”

The 50-year-old German — whose side play Premier League strugglers Stoke on Saturday — said Tuesday had been a day of mixed emotions.

“The game on Tuesday showed the beauty of the game, and showed the most ugly face of parts of the game,” said Klopp.

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“I heard first time about it, I cannot describe my emotions in English.

“That should never have happened and should never happen in the future.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be a major absentee for Klopp both on Saturday and for the Roma clash as he suffered a knee injury in Tuesday’s match that will also ruled him out of the World Cup.

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“We will wait for him like a good wife when her man is in prison,” said Klopp.

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By Agence France Presse