Klopp Joins Tuchel, Rangnick To Call For 5 Substitutions In Premier League

Jurgen Klopp has echoed recent calls from Ralf Rangnick and Thomas Tuchel for the Premier League to allow five substitutions to be made in games but does not think it will happen any time soon.

The Premier League introduced the five substitutes rule when football resumed in June 2020 following the enforced break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the competition reverted back to the usual three permitted alterations ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Other major European leagues including Serie A, LaLiga, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga still allow five substitutions, as does the Champions League and the EFL Cup.

Premier League clubs voted on the matter last December, with the majority deciding to keep the rule the same, but allowing for nine instead of seven players to be named on the bench.

Tuchel voiced his frustration after his team’s win 3-1 at Aston Villa on Sunday after he was forced to make all three substitutions by the 63rd minute due to injuries to Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante, having already taken Trevor Chalobah off at half-time, saying: “We are the only league that play in winter, which I love, but we’re not protecting the players.

“All other leagues have five changes. Then we compete against them in the Champions League. It’s a bit frustrating. It will not stop.”

Speaking at his pre-match news conference ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Leicester City, Reds boss Klopp was also asked for his thoughts on the issue and agreed with his fellow former Borussia Dortmund coach.

“The problem is this intensity for top class football in England is definitely at the edge,” he told reporters.

“In the league we have 38 games. Two cup competitions, even if we do not go to the final, let’s [estimate] another five, it’s 43. Pretty much all of them play for their national teams, nine, 10 games a year? Plus, Champions League games, so you come pretty quick to more than 50 games, or higher.

“My first season here we played the [Europa League] final, I think it was the 64th game.

“The decision about [five subs] is made, and we realised again in the manager’s meeting, the decision is made by 14 clubs. I think you need 14 votes to change it, and there’s something wrong.

“For example, Burnley, I’m not sure how many of their players play international football, when our players have three games, they have no game.

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