London, Feb 16 Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has been left shocked by the news of Manchester City being handed a two-year suspension from the Champions League and he went on to say that he sympathises with coach Pep Guardiola.
"It was a shock. Complete wow," Klopp told Sky Sports when asked for his reaction.
"The only thing I can say is about football. What they have done on the football pitch is exceptional. The rest, I don't know. You believe the people you work with, that's how it is.
"I really feel for them, Pep and the players, but that is how it is. They can appeal so we will see what happens then. It is obviously serious. But the football they played was exceptional and will always be exceptional."
Manchester City have been barred from competing in European club soccer competitions for the next two seasons and fined 30 million euros ($32.5 million) by European soccer's governing body UEFA after being found guilty of "serious breaches" of its financial fair play rules.
In a statement confirming the decision on Friday, UEFA said: "Having considered all the evidence, Manchester City Football Club committed serious breaches of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations by overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016."
UEFA also accused the club of refusing to cooperate in the investigation.
"The Adjudicatory Chamber has imposed disciplinary measures on Manchester City Football Club, directing that it shall be excluded from participation in UEFA club competitions in the next two seasons (i.e. the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons) and pay a fine of 30 million euros," the governing body said.
( With inputs from IANS )