Cardiff’s ban fear
Klopp in a rush to get last-16 place booked
CARDIFF could be hit with a three-window transfer ban if they fail to pay Nantes the first slice of the £15m fee for tragic Emiliano Sala.
Striker Sala died in a plane crash in January on the way from France to join his new club.
FIFA have now released the reasons for its decision that Cardiff must pay £5.3m.
And if the Bluebirds don’t pay within 45 days of receiving bank details from the French club, then a transfer ban will be triggered.
Cardiff are set to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing that Argentinian was not officially their player at the time.
Pilot David Ibbotson also died in the English Channel crash, which occurred two days after the player’s transfer was announced. (inset)
JURGEN KLOPP has urged Liverpool to make a “big step” towards reaching the Champions League last 16 when they host Genk tonight.
The Reds know if they beat the Belgium side and then Napoli at Anfield later this month, they will be in the knockout stages with a game to spare.
Klopp’s side recovered after losing their opening group game to Napoli to beat both Red Bull Salzburg and Genk.
And having the luxury of not needing a result in Salzburg in December will be a huge boost for Klopp in what is a hectic month with the Club World Cup in Qatar and festive fixtures.
The Kop boss said: “We have to make a big step. We are at home and whoever we play we will try everything to win it.
“We have another home game against Napoli and we cannot waste time.
“We had a lower-than-average start against Napoli but it was the most difficult game you could have for a start.
“Now we sorted the situation and now we have to make the next step. That is all we can do. Not more, not less.
“It will be tough when we go Salzburg, it will be tough at home to to Napoli. We cannot expect things will always work like they should so we will just make sure we can have as many points as possible.
“That is all that we will try to think about.”
Klopp has not banned talk of Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s crunch clash in the Premier League title race.
He is expected to make some changes to add some “fresh legs” on Merseyside tonight.
But he insists there is not one bit of him even thinking about going up against Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions ahead of Genk. The German added: “We can say the words Manchester City, I only don’t think of them in the moment, why should I?
“The story the boys wrote in the last three years was only possible because we are always focused on the next game completely with all we have.
“Nobody thinks in this moment and I don’t have to tell them that City is on Sunday and next is Genk.
“We have big ambitions in this competition and it is an open group still with pretty much everything possible.”