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Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that defender Mamadou Sakho was sent home from Liverpool's pre-season tour of America after repeatedly breaking club rules.

The France international was banished from the Reds' California training base on Monday after riling the manager with his attitude.

There were three major transgressions which angered Klopp who felt the player had shown a lack of respect.

Sakho was late for the team flight from Liverpool to California last Thursday.

The centre-back, who is currently sidelined by an Achilles injury, also turned up late for a team meal and missed a treatment session in Palo Alto.

“I have to build a group here, we have to start new here,” Klopp said.

“So I thought maybe it made sense for him to fly home to Liverpool and after eight or 10 days when we come back we can talk about it. It's not that serious.

“He nearly missed the departure of the plane, he missed a session and was late for a meal.

“We have some rules and we have to respect them. If somebody doesn't respect it or somebody gives me the feeling he is not respecting it then I have to react that's all.

Sakho sent home from America - James Pearce reveals why:

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“It is private how he reacted. But we had no argument, it wasn't 'aghh, you, no...'.

“I spoke. You cannot argue when only one person is speaking. That's all.

“I think missed a session is missed a session. Even injured players have sessions.”

Klopp's comments make a mockery of suggestions that Sakho had returned to the UK for medical reasons.

The manager has indicated that Sakho, who is continuing his rehabilitation programme at Melwood, won't be hit in the pocket.

However, the Reds boss will sit down for talks with the former Paris Saint-Germain captain when Liverpool return to Merseyside next Tuesday and he expects to see a change in his attitude.

“Fine him? I am not interested in the money of the players,” Klopp added.

“Actually not really often in my life I've had to fine anybody because I want that we learn together to do the thing that is right.

“Always it is the same with every group. I don't like fining. Sometimes it's funny, when the fine is bull****.

“Come on, pay for it, that's nice. But mistakes, fining never helps.

James Pearce previews Liverpool's match with Chelsea as Wijnaldum to miss out:

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“It's not because they care about money, it's always yeah in the moment it hurts but after a while not. So I want them to do the things because they want to do it, that's all.”

It's been a turbulent time for Sakho, who was cleared of a doping violation by UEFA earlier this month.

The governing body's control, ethics and disciplinary body dismissed the case against him - some three months after accusing him of failing a drugs test.

Sakho, who hasn't played since April 20, missed out on the Europa League final with Liverpool and Euro 2016 with France after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) alleged that he had taken a prohibited substance in a ‘fat burner’.