Jurgen Klopp speaks on the consequences of Liverpool failing to qualify for Champions League
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said that a major repercussion of his side failing to qualify for the Champions League next season would be the financial effects of missing out on European football.
Liverpool could qualify for the Champions League either via a top-four league finish or by winning the tournament this season. They currently sit five points away from the Champions League spots with nine league games to go so. The Reds are in danger of missing out on Europe's most prestigious competition for the first time since 2016.
However, Klopp has downplayed the consequences of missing out on European football by saying that the team would only lose ground financially.
“It would mean a huge financial loss,” the German told SportBild. “Otherwise not that much.”
Liverpool failing to qualify for the Champions League will have a financial impact on the club as teams who qualify for the group stage of the tournament receive a bonus of around €15m. There are also additional bonuses for subsequent qualifications in the competition.
Liverpool could still benefit from failing to qualify for the Champions League
Liverpool's owners, the Fenway Sports Group, are said to have informed Klopp that qualification for the Champions League or the lack thereof is of little or no consequence. They have stated that he will still receive financial backing in the summer transfer window and player recruitment will not be hindered.
The only other worry Liverpool might have is how a lack of Champions League football could affect the calibre of players interested in moving to Anfield. This will not be too much of an issue as the level Liverpool have operated at for the past three years is enough to banish any doubts their current dip in form might have produced.
Should Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League, they will have both time and physical energy to focus on domestic glory. Failure to qualify for European football will see the Reds have their schedule significantly freed up to focus on the Premier League and other domestic competitions.
Jurgen Klopp's side, however, will be looking to do whatever it takes to play in the Champions League next season. While it might be quite difficult to achieve qualification domestically, their place in the quarterfinals of the current European season will be a confidence booster.