EPL

His reaction was just brilliant – Klopp praises Sterling for response to abuse

Police are investigating whether Raheem Sterling was racially abused and Jurgen Klopp said the forward "gave the right response".

Liam Blackburn
10 December, 2018 21:38 IST

Raheem Sterling and Jurgen Klopp during the Manchester City-Liverpool encounter in the Champions League last season.   -  Getty Images

Liam Blackburn
10 December, 2018 21:38 IST

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has praised Raheem Sterling for the way he handled getting berated at Chelsea as the Metropolitan Police investigates whether the Manchester City forward was racially abused.

Television footage from City's defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday showed spectators in the front row shouting at Sterling as he collected the ball from in front of them.

READ | Sterling hits out at media coverage of black players

Both Chelsea and the Metropolitan Police have launched investigations to determine whether or not Sterling was racially abused in the incident.

Sterling uploaded a post on his Instagram account on Sunday in which he criticised the coverage that black players receive in the media.

The 24-year-old had left Liverpool by the time Klopp was appointed in October 2015, but the German has credited the England international for his response at Stamford Bridge.

"I watched the game and I think I saw the situation where he went for the corner and the few guys were shouting," said Klopp.

View this post on Instagram

Good morning I just want to say , I am not normally the person to talk a lot but when I think I need my point to heard I will speak up. Regarding what was said at the Chelsea game as you can see by my reaction I just had to laugh because I don’t expect no better. For example you have two young players starting out there careers both play for the same team, both have done the right thing. Which is buy a new house for there mothers who have put in a lot of time and love into helping them get where they are, but look how the news papers get there message across for the young black player and then for the young white payer. I think this in unacceptable both innocent have not done a thing wrong but just by the way it has been worded. This young black kid is looked at in a bad light. Which helps fuel racism an aggressive behaviour, so for all the news papers that don’t understand why people are racist in this day and age all i have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity an give all players an equal chance.

A post shared by Raheem Sterling x (@sterling7) on

"I didn't hear, I don't know if it was possible to, but I thought his reaction was just brilliant. You saw his face. He gave the right response not to react to these people.

"They don't deserve any reaction, they don't deserve any respect. I am obviously not surprised that these things still happen and they will not stop only because we talk about them, but I like the fact that we put the finger on it and say, 'You cannot say what you want'.

"What I like is I am sure 95 per cent of people are not like this, so we should try to find the right amount of attention for them.

"Punish them but do not talk too much about them because they do not deserve that we talk about them."