"The team has been falling apart..." - Former Liverpool player claims Klopp should step down as manager

Former Liverpool player Dietmar Hamann has claimed Jurgen Klopp should step down as Reds boss.

Liverpool were eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid on Wednesday, losing to Los Blancos 6-2 across two legs - their biggest-ever aggregate defeat in the competition.

The Reds were beaten Champions League finalists against Real last summer, but now face a battle to even be in the tournament next season.

Klopp’s side are languishing in sixth in the Premier League, some six points adrift of the top four.

Indeed, having also long been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions, Liverpool will finish the season without any silverware.

And one former Liverpool midfielder claimed that should Klopp step down as manager in the summer after the team's tepid performance this term.

Hamann on Klopp

Hamann claimed Klopp should stand down as Liverpool boss at the end of the season.

Speaking on Sky Germany, the 49-year-old said: “If they don’t bring players in then I can’t see him staying.

“Because I can’t imagine him staying if he doesn’t have a remote chance of playing for a title. The competition is huge.

“I think it would be best for both sides if they make a cut in the summer. The team has been falling apart in the last few months.

“For a coach who’s been around that long, I think it’s almost impossible to pull off.”

Hamann has been outspoken against Klopp throughout the season, something that has reportedly angered the Reds boss.

After Hamann took aim at assistant manager Pep Lijnders on social media ,The Athletic claimed Klopp had taken Hamann's comments personally.

Journalist Oliver Kay said: "'He [Klopp] is known to be furious at reports suggesting that some within the camp have questioned the role of Andreas Kornmayer, his head of fitness and conditioning, and at former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann’s questioning of assistant manager Pep Lijnders.

"As personally as Klopp has taken criticism of his players at times this season, criticism of the coaching staff has gone down even worse."