Jurgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, fears the ‘unacceptable” fixture schedule will take a toll on his international stars as he looks to navigate his club through seven competitions this season.

Klopp has long considered the gruelling calendar a farce and with Liverpool participating in the FIFA World Club championships, held in Qatar in December, there is potential for mid-season chaos. Premier League and potential domestic cup ties must be rearranged.

Liverpool have sought clarification from FIFA on the dates and format of the Qatar tournament, the European champions needing guidance as to whether senior players are obliged to be part of the squad.

The Liverpool manager is a long-term advocate of reducing the workload of the world’s top players – not only those at Anfield - but believes his observations are ignored. Instead he sees the demands increasing.

“We sit here and it sounds like I am having a moan or whatever. It is just the situation, in the long-term, is not acceptable,” said Klopp.

“It looks like nobody can imagine a week without football in the year. When did that happen? A game again, a game again.

“It is difficult, difficult for the boys. Everything will be fine this season. But in the long-term? We have to change it. There must be breaks. Come on, let them go. Be brave. Don’t treat every game like it is the last of a decade.”

Liverpool are preparing for a heavy fixture schedule in 2019/20 credit: GETTY IMAGES

Klopp says he is especially concerned about the workload of Sadio Mane, who he confirmed will not be available for the Community Shield against Manchester City as he returns to pre-season training last of all, a week before the start of the Premier League.

“Sadio Mane’s season, after he played the (African Nations Cup) final, will be 13 months. A 13 month season, that is how it is,” said Klopp.

“Ask him how much holiday he has had. He’s played pretty much every game for Senegal. He’s played each game for us. Every international break, he is away. Ask him.

“The pressure is everywhere. We need to calm this down. We need proper breaks, then you will get world class performances. Then you can enjoy these boys in the long-term and it will be easier for the younger ones to come through.

“We have to win pretty much every game. So where is the space for development? We have to make sure all together that there is enough space for the boys to recover and then to go again. Like it was in the good old times, by the way.

“For here (on pre-season) it is not a problem. We have all the boys here, apart from the three upfront and Ali (Alisson). That’s not the biggest problem for Ali (only having a couple of weeks to prepare) but the other three we will see. They need a holiday. It’s not like after three days you can say to them, ‘Hey, come on, let’s start running again’.

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“They have had a tough summer programme. It’s football. It’s not riding a bike, so you lose a little bit (of rhythm). It will all come back but it will be a tough start. “For the other teams as well – Tottenham have had it pretty much like we have. But it is just like it is. In the future, we have to change that. We have to.”

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After criticising the format of the UEFA Nations League, Klopp felt his concerns vindicated by the poor quality of the competition held within days of the Champions League final.

“I said about the Nations League – I don’t like it. People looked at me and said ‘huh?’ – each national coach around the world said. ‘No, I love it. It’s brilliant and we go for something’.

“So now we have the World Cup, the European Championships and the Nations League. So I looked at the games. Four days after the Champions League final, the boys are there. The Dutch guys, Shaq (Shaqiri), the English boys. If they had been friendly games, the boys would not have been there at all. But no, it’s the Nations League, so they have got to go. There is always an important competition. The next important competition. Then England and the Premier League starts the earliest? Where is the space for training?”

Liverpool’s start to the campaign is hectic, with the Super Cup Final against Chelsea held in Istanbul.

Liverpool take on Chelsea in Istanbul on August 14 credit: AFP

Both clubs agree there is absence of common sense with two English sides being expected to fly to Turkey for a gloried exhibition match when both would willingly swap for a venue nearer home.

“The Premier League begins a week early than all the other leagues – so, ok, we have to deal with that,” said Klopp.

“We will see. We fly to Istanbul after we play Norwich. Then we go to Southampton directly straight after.”

Meanwhile Liverpool hope youngster Yasser Larouci is not seriously injured following the tackle branded ‘a disgrace’ in the last pre-season friendly.

Sevilla’s Joris Gnagnon was sent off, later issuing an apology, acknowledging his ‘odious act’.

James Milner led the condemnation.

“There were some disgraceful tackles,” he said.

“We know it was a friendly but you don't see many red cards in a friendly. If you want to foul, pull a shirt. Don't take a young lad by the knee. Seeing it again it is a disgrace.”