Manchester City supporters have responded positively to Jürgen Klopp after the former Liverpool manager offered a remarkably measured assessment of the controversy surrounding the club.
Klopp was asked about the ongoing Manchester City case and made it clear that he has enormous respect for Pep Guardiola, the football City produced during their rivalry with Liverpool and the standard the club reached on the pitch.
The German also refused to speculate about possible sanctions.
Instead, Klopp stressed that he does not know the details of the legal proceedings and would rather wait to see what happens. He acknowledged that an appeal could take a considerable amount of time, while making it clear that he has no desire to become involved in the matter.
🗣️| Jürgen Klopp on #ManCity:
“I have huge respect for Pep Guardiola and the football Manchester City played during the time we were up against them. The sort of football they put on the pitch, the sort of opponents they were for us. It’s far too big. The standard is far too high.
“If any sanctions are imposed, I’ve got nothing to do with it. And that’s why I’m waiting to see what happens. The legal proceedings have been going on for a long time; I assume there will be an appeal, which will take ages.
“I’m a long way from preparing myself for it in any way and I’ve got absolutely no sense of it. I don’t need to be Premier League champions a few more times. I’m completely happy with what we’ve achieved.
“We battled it out on the pitch and I can’t say anything about the rest because I don’t know exactly what it’s all about. To be honest, I’m not interested either.”
[via Sky Sports]
— City Chief (@City_Chief) October 4, 2026
That approach appears to have earned Klopp considerable respect from Manchester City supporters.
Among the reactions to the comments, one City fan simply wrote:
“I love Jurgen Klopp.”
Another supporter was even more emphatic:
“I can only respect this guy. It’s not for nothing that I’ve always respected him.”
A third described Klopp as:
“A gentleman.”
For a manager who spent years on the opposite side of one of Manchester City’s greatest Premier League rivalries, the response from City fans is particularly notable.
Klopp refuses to speculate about Manchester City
The most important part of Klopp’s comments was his refusal to pretend that he knew more than he actually did.
The former Liverpool boss acknowledged that legal proceedings have been continuing for a long time and suggested that an appeal could make the process even longer.
But rather than offering a prediction about what should happen to City, Klopp effectively said he would wait for the legal process to reach its conclusion.
That position appears to have resonated with City supporters.
The 115-charge case has generated enormous debate across English football, with former players, managers, clubs, supporters and pundits frequently being asked for their opinions.
Klopp’s response was different.
He separated what happened on the football pitch from matters he does not know enough about to judge.
That distinction is particularly relevant given Klopp’s history with Manchester City.
During his time at Liverpool, Klopp’s team repeatedly competed with Guardiola’s City for the biggest prizes in English football. The rivalry produced some of the Premier League’s most memorable title races.
Yet Klopp did not use that history as an excuse to make assumptions about the legal case.
Instead, he acknowledged City’s footballing achievements.
“Huge respect” for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City
Klopp’s praise for Guardiola was another part of the comments that caught the attention of City supporters.
He spoke about having “huge respect” for Guardiola and the football Manchester City played during the period when Liverpool were competing directly against them.
That recognition matters.
Liverpool and Manchester City were arguably the two defining forces of the Premier League era in which Klopp and Guardiola went head-to-head.
Their teams pushed each other to extraordinary levels.
Liverpool collected an enormous points total in a season and still finished runners-up to City. Manchester City, meanwhile, repeatedly had to produce exceptional consistency to stay ahead of Klopp’s side.
The rivalry was intense, but there was also a clear level of mutual respect between the two managers.
City supporters clearly remember that.
One fan’s reaction was simply:
“I can only respect this guy.”
The comment reflects an appreciation for Klopp’s willingness to acknowledge what City achieved rather than allowing the legal controversy to overshadow the football.
City fans appreciate Klopp’s honesty
The strongest reaction from the Manchester City supporters was not necessarily about agreeing with everything Klopp said.
It was about appreciating his honesty.
Klopp essentially admitted that he did not know enough about the legal case to make a meaningful judgment.
That is a significant position in an era where football personalities are regularly asked to provide immediate opinions on complicated controversies.
Instead of presenting himself as an expert on the proceedings, Klopp made his position clear.
He does not know all the details.
He is waiting to see what happens.
And he is not interested in speculating.
That approach appears to have impressed City supporters.
The reaction from the fanbase was noticeably different from the more hostile comments surrounding many discussions about the 115 charges.
Rather than attacking Klopp, several City supporters praised him.
“I love Jurgen Klopp,” wrote one fan.
Another called him “A gentleman.”
Those comments demonstrate that football rivalries do not necessarily prevent supporters from recognising honesty and fairness.
Klopp remembers what Manchester City achieved on the pitch
Another important element of Klopp’s response was his emphasis on the football itself.
He described the standard Manchester City reached as being extremely high and acknowledged the quality of the opposition Liverpool faced during their battles with Guardiola’s side.
That is a powerful compliment.
Liverpool did not simply compete against an ordinary Premier League team during Klopp’s reign.
They competed against a Manchester City side that consistently pushed the limits of domestic footballing excellence.
The two clubs repeatedly produced title races in which dropping even a handful of points could prove decisive.
City supporters therefore appreciate Klopp’s recognition that what happened on the pitch was extraordinary.
The legal proceedings are a separate matter.
Whatever eventually happens away from the pitch, the quality of football produced during the Guardiola era cannot simply be erased from history.
Klopp appears to understand that distinction.
“I don’t need to be Premier League champions a few more times”
Another striking element of Klopp’s comments was his lack of bitterness about Liverpool’s battles with Manchester City.
He explained that he did not need to win the Premier League title several more times to feel satisfied with what Liverpool achieved.
That is another reason City supporters appear to have reacted positively.
There is a sense of closure in Klopp’s comments.
He competed against City.
He won major trophies.
He lost major trophies.
He enjoyed some extraordinary battles with Guardiola.
And now he appears comfortable leaving the legal questions to the relevant process.
For City supporters, that is refreshing.
It also reinforces the idea that Klopp’s assessment is based primarily on his experience of competing against Manchester City on the football pitch.
The City-Klopp rivalry created mutual respect
It is difficult to discuss Klopp’s Premier League career without discussing Manchester City.
Liverpool and City dominated English football for several seasons, with Guardiola and Klopp establishing one of the league’s great managerial rivalries.
The two sides played at an extraordinary level.
City’s supporters remember the pressure Liverpool placed on Guardiola’s team.
Liverpool supporters remember the countless occasions when City produced results that kept them ahead in the title race.
The rivalry was intense, but the football was exceptional.
That is why Klopp’s latest comments carry additional weight.
He was not an outsider commenting on a club he barely knew.
He was someone who experienced the City machine at its peak.
He knew exactly how difficult Guardiola’s side was to overcome.
City fans are willing to give Klopp credit
The reactions from City supporters show that Klopp still commands considerable respect among sections of the fanbase.
That may surprise some observers given his Liverpool connections.
But football supporters can separate rivalry from respect.
A supporter saying “I love Jurgen Klopp” is particularly revealing.
It shows that Klopp’s willingness to stay within the limits of what he actually knows has won him admiration.
The same applies to the fan who described him as “A gentleman.”
These are not reactions that would normally be expected underneath a post about a former Liverpool manager discussing Manchester City.
Yet Klopp’s comments appear to have changed the tone.
Instead of creating another argument, they have generated appreciation.
Manchester City fans want the legal process to decide
Ultimately, the most significant part of Klopp’s comments may be the principle behind them.
The Manchester City case will be determined through legal and regulatory processes, not through social media arguments.
Klopp has chosen to wait.
Many City supporters clearly believe that is the correct approach.
The fan reaction suggests that supporters would rather see the evidence and legal arguments examined properly than listen to endless speculation about what might happen.
That does not mean every City fan agrees with Klopp on every point.
It simply means they appreciate a prominent football figure refusing to make claims about a case he admits he does not fully understand.
And after years of fierce competition between Liverpool and Manchester City, that restraint has earned Klopp something unusual from a rival fanbase.
Respect.
For many City supporters, the message is simple.
Rivalries come and go, but genuine respect for what happens on the football pitch remains.
