Klopp reveals why he sent Sakho back to Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp has revealed his fury with Mamadou Sakho after he sent the French defender home early from Liverpool’s tour of the United States.

The German revealed that Sakho – who has only recently been cleared of a doping violation which he served a provisional suspension for – had broken team rules three times and now faces crunch talks to save his Liverpool career.

“He nearly missed the departure of Liverpool [on the plane from Liverpool to San Francisco], he missed a training session and was late for a team meal,” said Klopp.

“I have to build a group here and we’ve got to start new here. I thought it maybe made sense for him to fly home to Liverpool.

“We have some rules and we have to respect them – if somebody gives me the feeling they are not respecting it I have to react.

“After eight or ten days we can talk about it. We had no argument but I spoke – you cannot argue when only one person is speaking.”

When asked if Sakho would be fined, Klopp said he preferred alternative methods of punishment as he seeks a considered and calm outcome to the dispute.

“Fine him? You can ask, and I can explain it in general. I am not interested in the money of the players, actually not really often in my life I have had to fine anybody because I want that we learn together to do the thing that is right.

“Always it is the same with every group. I don’t like fining. Sometimes it’s funny, when the fine is bulls***. Come on, pay for it, that’s nice. But mistakes, fining never helps.

“It’s not because they care about money, it’s always ‘yeah in the moment it hurts but after a while not’. So I want them to do the things because they want to do it, that’s all.”