Jurgen Klopp admits Sergio Ramos is "not his favourite player" as he recalled his "brutal" challenge on Mohamed Salah in the Champions League final six years ago.
The German guided Liverpool to the European showpiece, where they met defending champions Real Madrid in Kyiv. Salah was in the midst of a record-breaking year with the Reds but was forced off early after clashing with Ramos, who hauled the Egyptian to the ground.
Many saw Ramos' actions as incredibly cynical as he used his weight to drop Salah to the ground, which forced Liverpool's marksman off the pitch, curtailing their main attacking threat. Real went on to win the final 3-1 - winning their third Champions League on the bounce - and Klopp hasn't forgotten Ramos' antics as he took aim at the Spaniard whilst talking to Toni Kroos, a former team-mate of Ramos.
The ex-Liverpool boss said on Kroos' Einfach mal Lupen podcast: "Is Mr Sergio Ramos really a good guy? He's not my favourite player. The action was brutal. Of course, he can't know that it's bothering his shoulder, but we all know that he accepted it very happily. I could never understand that mentality, I never had players like that and, when I did, I made sure they left."
Kroos attempted to defend the centre-half, insisting he was a good team-mate, but Klopp continued his attack on the Real icon as he said: "I always thought that my centre-backs were good enough not to be involved in actions like that."
Ramos later revealed that he received death threats following his antics in the Champions League final. Despite that the defender claimed his "conscience is very clear" and he "didn't have to give more explanations."
The Los Blancos legend finished his career as a four-time European Cup winner as he played an integral role in the club's trophy-laden era. He had scored in Champions League victories back in 2014 and 2016 with some players claiming his controversy was smart.
Giorgio Chiellini said on the incident: "He knows how to be decisive in big games, with interventions that go beyond any logic, that even cause injuries with an almost devilish wit. The one on Salah in the 2018 Champions League Final was a masterstroke. He’s always said that he didn’t do it on purpose, knowing that nine times out of ten, falling as he did and by not letting go, he risked breaking his opponent’s arm.”
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