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'Distorted' And 'Rigged' - Football Manager Blasts AFCON In Explosive Rant Amid Jurgen Klopp's Complaints

'Distorted' And 'Rigged' - Football Manager Blasts AFCON In Explosive Rant Amid Jurgen Klopp's Complaints

Jurgen Klopp isn't the only manager angry with AFCON.

​Metz manager Frederic Antonetti​ has blasted the organisation of the African Cup of Nations, saying the timing is 'rigged and 'distorted' in a furious rant. 

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has voiced his displeasure of AFCON 2022, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane set to miss a portion of the season in January.

Guinea midfielder ​Naby Keita will also be missing for the Premier League title-pushing Reds. 

Image: PA
Image: PA

So, Klopp will have three key players unavailable - but spare a thought for Antonetti​, who is set to be without 'SEVEN or EIGHT' players due to the competition taking place mid-season. 

Just like Klopp, the Frenchman has angrily slammed the timing of the competition - branding it 'rigged'. 

"The AFCON takes seven or eight players from us. That’s enormous. It’s a rigged, distorted game," he said via Get French Football News.

"How can we have international competitions during national competitions? It’s not workable.

"I have nothing against the AFCON, it’s a very good event, but you can’t remove that many players from a team. And we’re not the only ones."

He added: "When we built our squad, the AFCON was set to be played in June but they’ve changed the rules.

"When I say it’s rigged, everything is rigged in football... It’s a shame because everything is distorted and rigged and the AFCON is part of it, VAR is part of it, the pressure is part of it."

Klopp's disparaging comments about AFCON upset ​Senegal manager Aliou Cisse, who hit out at the German. 

"Who does Klopp think he is?" He said per the Daily Express.

“I manage Senegal and my players play for Klopp at Liverpool.

“I respect Liverpool but not Klopp who undermines African football events. He is where he is today because of African footballers."

AFCON 2022 begins on January 9, with the final scheduled for February 6. 

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Jurgen Klopp, Football