Klopp Seeks Private Life after Liverpool Exit, Rules Out Immediate Return

Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp reacts after his very last match with Liverpool after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp reacts after his very last match with Liverpool after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
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Klopp Seeks Private Life after Liverpool Exit, Rules Out Immediate Return

Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp reacts after his very last match with Liverpool after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp reacts after his very last match with Liverpool after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said he plans to retreat into a private life following his departure from the Premier League club and has no immediate plans to return to management.
Klopp bade farewell to the Anfield faithful in a long address after Liverpool's 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday and led the crowd in a song for incoming manager Arne Slot, who has enormous shoes to fill, Reuters said.
Klopp, who famously introduced himself as "the normal one" in his first Liverpool press conference, was glad he is leaving the club in a good position after enjoying a trophy laden career.
"But look, it's not burning behind me and that gives me a good feeling," Klopp told reporters on Sunday in his last post-match press conference, adding that he will return to Anfield someday as a spectator.
The German will be packing his bags after a few emotional weeks in the city. In January, the 56-year-old announced he will leave at the end of the season after nine years at the helm due to draining energy levels.
"A private life must be planned and I didn't plan anything yet because I was here," Klopp said. "Probably Ulla (Sandrock, his wife) will update me where we go but I follow happily."
"I don't know exactly why nobody believes I probably will not be a manager again but I understand because obviously it seems to be a drug, because everybody comes back and everyone works until they are 70-something.
"Other people can do it in different ways, I have to be all-in, I have to be the spark, I have to be the energy, I have to be all these kind of things and I'm empty.
"You only have to look outside which clubs are obviously available. There will be opportunities, but I don't sit here and think, 'Maybe in a year's time I take that.'"



Maresca Defends VAR Officials After Man City Benefit from Error

Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - September 13, 2026 Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca celebrates with Enzo Fernandez after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - September 13, 2026 Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca celebrates with Enzo Fernandez after the match. (Reuters)
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Maresca Defends VAR Officials After Man City Benefit from Error

Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - September 13, 2026 Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca celebrates with Enzo Fernandez after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - September 13, 2026 Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca celebrates with Enzo Fernandez after the match. (Reuters)

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca on Wednesday expressed sympathy for VAR officials after his team benefited from a clear error in their 1-0 win against Manchester United.

Erling Haaland scored a controversial winner in the 60th minute at Old Trafford on Sunday to make it four wins out of four for City in the Premier League.

Haaland was initially flagged offside, but VAR ruled he was being played onside by United defender Patrick Dorgu, neglecting to take account of the position of Enzo Fernandez, who was clearly offside and was interfering with play.

Refereeing body Pro Ref acknowledged an "error of judgment", saying that the video assistant referee should have recommended an on-field review.

But Maresca spoke up for the officials ahead of Thursday's League Cup third round match against Championship side Norwich.

"Sometimes they go for you, the decisions, sometimes they go against you," he said. "But also it's not easy, I think, for the VAR, for the people that are in front of the screen, and in 10 seconds, 20 seconds they have to make a decision.

"It's not easy for them. Sometimes they make some mistakes. I make mistakes, players make mistakes, I think it's part of our job."

Maresca said he was unhappy with the intense focus on the offside goal following an impressive win for his team, who were reduced to 10 men when Phil Foden was sent off in the first half.

The Italian, who replaced Pep Guardiola as manager in June, reminded reporters of a controversial incident when he was Guardiola's assistant in the 2022/23 season.

Bruno Fernandes's goal was given despite the presence of Marcus Rashford in an offside position in a 2-1 win for United at Old Trafford.

Maresca said he was still waiting for officials to say sorry.

"Three years ago, when I was here, it happened exactly the same against Man United," said the former Chelsea boss.

"We lost the derby there. The goal was not a regular goal, if you remember. To be honest, no one apologized. We are still waiting for the apology for that goal.

"Sometimes it happens for you, sometimes it happens against you. It's football."

Maresca brushed aside a question on whether he was pleased there would be no VAR in place in the early rounds of the League Cup, bringing the focus back to Sunday's win.

"I'm pleased with the unbelievable performance from the players on Sunday," he said. "I'm very pleased with that. Talking about one moment after that game, when we played for 70-75 minutes with 10 players, I think it's quite poor. I think the performance was unbelievable."


Bologna Fires Coach after Just 4 Matches, Hires Raffaele Palladino on Deal to 2029

Bologna's coach Domenico Tedesco during the Italian Serie A soccer match Bologna FC vs US Sassuolo at Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, 6 September 2026. EPA/ELISABETTA BARACCHI
Bologna's coach Domenico Tedesco during the Italian Serie A soccer match Bologna FC vs US Sassuolo at Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, 6 September 2026. EPA/ELISABETTA BARACCHI
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Bologna Fires Coach after Just 4 Matches, Hires Raffaele Palladino on Deal to 2029

Bologna's coach Domenico Tedesco during the Italian Serie A soccer match Bologna FC vs US Sassuolo at Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, 6 September 2026. EPA/ELISABETTA BARACCHI
Bologna's coach Domenico Tedesco during the Italian Serie A soccer match Bologna FC vs US Sassuolo at Renato Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna, Italy, 6 September 2026. EPA/ELISABETTA BARACCHI

Bologna fired coach Domenico Tedesco on Wednesday after just four Serie A matches and replaced him with Raffaele Palladino.

Sunday’s loss at Napoli left Bologna 16th in the league table, with just one point from its opening four matches.

Tedesco had only been in charge since June.

In a brief statement, Bologna thanked Tedesco for his “professionalism and competence” and said Palladino had been given a contract through the end of June 2029, The Associated Press reported.

The 42-year-old Palladino previously led Monza, Fiorentina and Atalanta.

His first match in charge will be on Saturday at home to Torino, before the extra-long international break.

It is not the first coaching change of the fledgling Serie A season as Fabio Grosso was fired this month by Fiorentina, which rehired Paolo Vanoli.


Monaco to Become One of a Record 10 F1 Sprint Weekends in 2027

Formula One F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - Circuit de Monaco, Monaco - May 24, 2024 General view of McLaren's Lando Norris during practice. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - Circuit de Monaco, Monaco - May 24, 2024 General view of McLaren's Lando Norris during practice. (Reuters)
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Monaco to Become One of a Record 10 F1 Sprint Weekends in 2027

Formula One F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - Circuit de Monaco, Monaco - May 24, 2024 General view of McLaren's Lando Norris during practice. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Monaco Grand Prix - Circuit de Monaco, Monaco - May 24, 2024 General view of McLaren's Lando Norris during practice. (Reuters)

Monaco's tight and twisty streets will host a Formula One sprint for the first time next season with a record 10 race weekends, including the scheduled opener in Bahrain, featuring the format on a 24-round calendar published on Wednesday.

The championship will start at the Sakhir circuit on March 14, after February 24-27 testing in the Gulf kingdom, with Saudi Arabia the second round on March 21, Formula One and the governing FIA said.

Portugal (June 20) and Türkiye (October 3) are additions with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort and Barcelona having dropped off.

There were no asterisks against the four races in the Gulf, but they will remain uncertain for ‌as long as ‌the current conflict in the region continues.

Saudi Arabia's race in Jeddah ‌was ⁠cancelled this year ⁠while Bahrain's has been rescheduled to Malaysia's Sepang circuit next month.

SPRINT MEANS TWO QUALIFYING SESSIONS IN MONACO

The inclusion of a Monaco sprint race will surprise some, given that overtaking is almost impossible around the principality's harborside layout.

Qualifying is usually the most exciting point of the Monaco weekend, with the race often a procession and won from pole position, and Formula One highlighted the fact that spectators would now get two qualifying sessions as well as the showcase grand prix on Sunday.

Replacing Friday's second practice session with sprint ⁠qualifying should increase the excitement on the first day of track action ‌but it will also give drivers significantly less time ‌to work their way into the weekend at a particularly unforgiving track.

A Saturday sprint victory is worth eight ‌points to the winner, meaning a driver can come away from the weekend with a maximum ‌of 33 rather than the usual 25 if he wins both.

The 2026 season featured six sprints, the most to date, but Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in August that the number would be increased because so many circuits wanted one since the format was introduced in 2021.

Formula One said its data showed total ‌viewership of sprint weekends was 12% higher than non-sprint weekends, with qualifying three times more popular with fans than free practice.

Bahrain's Sakhir circuit, Australia (Melbourne), ⁠Japan (Suzuka), Monaco and Abu ⁠Dhabi (Yas Marina) will all host sprints for the first time.

Returning sprints will be Canada (Montreal), Britain (Silverstone), Italy (Monza), Brazil (Interlagos) and Qatar (Lusail).

That means three of the first four rounds will be sprints, as well as three of the last four.

"We are thrilled to welcome Portugal and Türkiye to the championship and to expand sprint racing to 10 events, giving our fans even more intensity, drama and the wheel-to-wheel action that makes our sport so special," said Domenicali.

Australia (April 4), Japan (April 11) and China (April 18) will form a triple-header on successive weekends before Miami stands alone on May 2 with Canada and Monaco following on May 23 and June 6.

Azerbaijan (September 26), Türkiye (October 3) and Singapore (October 10) form another triple-header with Austin (October 24), Mexico (October 31) and Brazil (November 7) lining up as the third.

Next season is due to end later than this year with successive sprint weekends in Qatar (December 5) and Abu Dhabi (December 12).

This year's final race is scheduled for Abu Dhabi on December 6, although it could be rescheduled to Italy's Imola circuit for the same date.