Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has criticised England's handling of the coronavirus crisis, revealing he feels like an alien for continuing to take it seriously.
Despite seeing how hard the pandemic hit Italy and Spain, the United Kingdom struggled to prepare for the virus with over 300,000 confirmed cases and 42,000 deaths to date.
During its peak, there were fears the Premier League season would be abandoned completely with Klopp himself conceding he became fully aware of that possibility.
But despite those sporting concerns, Klopp has stressed his real focus has remained on matters off the pitch as he noted the major difference in how England and Germany have dealt with the coronavirus.
“I was not worried for one second that the government could cost us the title because I was worried about the numbers who were dying – and I’m still worried," Klopp said.
“I didn’t vote for this government. This government was the choice of other people. And the problem I had was that I got the news from England and the news from Germany. If aliens looked at us both from the outside, they would think we came from two different planets.
“From a personal point of view, I don’t understand why we started wearing face masks in closed areas on June 15 when five or six weeks ago all the other countries were doing it.
“You can argue about whether it makes sense to wear them, but all countries who started wearing face masks earlier have smaller casualty numbers than here in England. That’s the truth.
“When I see the numbers here in England and then in Germany, I think. Look, it’s not perfect in Germany, people have died and have been ill. But, in terms of living your life, it is completely different.
“If you want to enter a shop in Germany, but don’t wear a face mask, then you aren’t allowed in. With a face mask, you can go in all the shops you want. You can go to the hairdresser, wherever.
“They wear a face mask, you wear a face mask, and sometimes the people in the shop will have even more protection like a screen.
“When I go to the petrol station in England, I am the only one wearing a face mask and I’m the only one with gloves – I feel like an alien. I will not stop doing that until someone tells me it’s over.
"But inside the club, we are safe. We are tested twice a week and it is a safe environment.”
Liverpool return to Premier League action against Everton on Sunday, needing just two wins to wrap up the league title.