Reds won’t be targeting Neymar, insists Klopp

JURGEN Klopp has promised that Liverpool will not resort to roughhouse tactics when they meet Paris Saint-Germain and Neymar tonight.

Neymar attracted widespread criticism for his perceived play-acting while representing Brazil at this summer’s World Cup.

The 26-year-old’s theatrics became one of the tournament’s biggest talking points and led the player himself to defend his actions in a television advert.

Neymar claimed he is unfairly targeted by other players and when asked about the controver- sy yesterday, Klopp sympathised with the world’s most expensive footballer.

“I don’t follow things like that but I saw a few games at the World Cup and I know people were talking about that when it looked like he made more of a situation than it was,” he said.

“For me that is a completely normal reaction because players were really going for him and he wants to protect himself and I understand that as well.

“If an opponent gets a yellow card then he is much closer to a red card so I see it from that perspective. I think it is smart that he saves himself.”

Klopp has no intention of targeting Neymar in a similar fashion at Anfield tonight, when his Liverpool side start their new Champions League campaign against PSG.

The Liverpool manager also suggested that, were it not for the foot injury that brought Neymar’s involvement at the World Cup into doubt, the Brazilian would have carried his country to victory.

“Everyone doesn’t have to be worried, we won’t go for him against us,” he said. “We play football and we want to win the ball, we don’t try to act in these kind of things; we try to cut out passes to him, try to avoid him winning challenges — which is a big job to do.

“I am not sure if it is 100% possible to avoid his qualities. I am pretty sure it is not. He is a fantastic footballer, an outstanding player.

“At the World Cup he was not fit, he had an injury already, but no one asked him, ‘Can you really play?’

“He tried to take the responsibility and play for his country while not being fit and he didn’t have an outstanding game for Brazil but if Neymar is fit Brazil win it.

“He was injured so had to save himself a bit. I don’t think he is a person who wants to act because if you are like that you cannot play the football he plays.”

Klopp added: “He was rested at the weekend so he will be 100% fresh for us, he is not injured any more, so we will see the full Neymar football package. We still have to cope with that and that is what we will try.”