Senegal manager Aliou Cisse slams Jurgen Klopp over 'small tournament' remark on AFCON

Senegal national football team’s manager Aliou Cisse has slammed Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for referring to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a 'little tournament.'

The AFCON is a biennial tournament of Africa that is slated to be held in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6, 2022. Klopp will miss the services of several big names in the Liverpool squad who will be plying their trade for their respective national teams in the AFCON. Their star striker Mohamed Salah will be representing Egypt whereas Sadio Mane and Naby Keita will be representing Senegal and Guinea respectively.

After Liverpool’s sensational 4-0 victory over Arsenal in the Premier League a few days ago, Klopp called the AFCON a 'little tournament' in the post-match conference which caused chaos among African fans.

“I’ve heard that so often that there’s no international break until March. In January, there’s a little tournament in Africa, I just want to say, and I think Asia is playing games, too – South America as well, great, can’t wait,” said Jurgen Klopp.

Aliou Cisse lashed out at the Liverpool boss for his statement stating that Klopp is no one to undermine AFCON. Cisse also added that the African players are the major reason behind Klopp’s success in Europe as a manager.

“Who does he think he is? I manage Senegal and my players play for Klopp at Liverpool. I respect Liverpool but not Klopp who undermines African football events. He is where he is today because of African footballers. He was losing every final until Salah, Mane, Matip came to his rescue to win his first-ever major European final,” said Aliou Cisse.

Further, Cisse added that AFCON is as big as Euros and has the same number of participating nations. “Today, he has the guts to call AFCON a ‘small tournament’. AFCON has the same number of participants, 24, as the UEFA Euro. So who does he think he is? AFCON will have the same superstars that are currently helping him to shine at Liverpool. AFCON is the same quality as the Euros,” added Cisse.

How did Jurgen Klopp reply to Aliou Cisse’s accusation?

Jurgen Klopp was quick to react to Aliou Cisse’s acquisition as he clarified that his statement has been interpreted in the wrong way. He claimed that he had no intention to term AFCON as a little tournament and his comments were just ironic.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t know why you understand it like that. It’s not even close to the idea in my mind that I want to talk about AFCON as a little tournament, or the continent of Africa like a little continent, not at all. I said: ‘there’s no international break anymore until March’ and I said: ‘Oh and there’s a little tournament in January,’ and I didn’t mean a little tournament, just like you say it when there’s still a tournament. It’s ironic,” said Jurgen Klopp.

Image: AP