Jurgen Klopp devastated after his mother’s death with the Liverpool manager BLOCKED from travelling

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp today told of his devastation after saying he had to miss his mother’s funeral in Germany – and blamed Covid travel rules. 

Klopp paid tribute to his mother Elisabeth, who died on January 19 aged 81, telling fans, ‘She meant everything to me’. 

Germany has banned travellers from Britain due to the new Covid variant, although exceptions are allowed for people experiencing an ‘immediate family bereavement’. 

Travellers must show a negative test and self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in Germany, although this can drop to five in some areas.  

Passengers returning from Germany in Britain must do the same after arriving in the UK. 

The FA can apply for special exemptions for elite sports people and managers that allows them to attend training and matches without self-isolating, provided they test negative for coronavirus. 

These exemptions are granted on a case-by-case basis by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and it is not clear if Klopp would have been eligible. 

Elisabeth Klopp, the mother of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp (right), has died at the age of 81

Klopp pictured with his mother Elisabeth in 2011 when he was Borussia Dortmund manager

Speaking to the Schwarzwalder Bote newspaper, Klopp, 53, paid tribute to his mother. 

He said: ‘She meant everything to me. She was a real mum in the best sense of the world. As a devout Christian, I know she is in a better place now.

‘The fact that I can’t be at the funeral is due to the terrible times. 

 ‘As soon as the circumstances allow, we will hold a wonderful commemoration that is appropriate to it.’ 

Covid travel rules between Germany and the UK  

Germany has banned travellers from Britain due to the new Covid variant, although exceptions are allowed for people experiencing an ‘immediate family bereavement’. 

Travellers must show a negative test and self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival in Germany, although this can drop to five in some areas.  

Passengers returning from Germany in Britain must do the same after arriving in the UK. 

The FA can apply for special exemptions for elite sports people and managers that allows them to attend training and matches without self-isolating, provided they test negative for coronavirus. 

These exemptions are granted on a case-by-case basis by the Department for Culture Media and Sport and it is not clear if Klopp would have been eligible. 

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Klopp last visited Elisabeth in Germany for her 80th birthday. 

The manger, who was born in 1967, is the youngest of three children to come from the marriage of Elisabeth Reich and Norbert Klopp in 1960. Stefanie was born in 1960 and Isolde in 1962.

Norbert died in 2000 following a short illness at the age of 66, just a few months before Jurgen landed his first coaching job with Mainz.

Elisabeth was the second-eldest of four born to Eugen and Helene Reich, who owned a brewery in the town of Glatten. 

Her working life started by delivering crates of beer to taverns with her eldest sister Marianne and also running the family grocery store.

She married Norbert Klopp, who was learning the craft of making fine leather bags, after meeting at a dance. 

Norbert was also a goalkeeper and had trials with prominent German club Kaiserslautern.

The German government is restricting travel from Britain to stop the spread of the Kent mutant strain. 

The rules mean that Liverpool will play the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie away to RB Leipzig in Budapest.

Liverpool’s form has slipped in recent weeks as their hopes of retaining their Premier League title have faded.

They have lost to Burnley, Brighton and Manchester City, all at home, in the league and exited the FA Cup to Manchester United all after January 19.

Klopp pictured on the sidelines during Liverpool’s 4-1 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday

Covid travel rules have provoked controversy in recent weeks, and today Grant Shapps was rebuked by No10 and faced the wrath of the travel industry today as he snuffed out hopes of a summer holiday season.

The Transport Secretary made clear there is no guarantee that breaks will be possible at all this year, saying he did not want to ‘raise people’s hopes’.

Asked in an interview on BBC Breakfast what needs to change for restrictions on overseas travel to be lifted, Mr Shapps replied: ‘First of all, everybody having their vaccinations.’

Pressed on whether the rules will remain in place until that happens, he said ‘yes’.

He stressed that it is currently illegal to go abroad for any non-essential reason – although he did say the government is looking at a ‘vaccines passport’ system that might allow leisure travel to resume when the crisis eases.

The grim comments came despite Boris Johnson previously voicing ‘optimism’ about the summer, and Matt Hancock revealing he has already booked a trip to Cornwall. 

Tory MPs accused ministers of ‘ripping up the goalposts’ on when lockdown can ease saying the restrictions were ‘almost studied and deliberate cruelty’ against the nation.

Downing Street pointedly distanced itself from the remarks this afternoon. Asked whether people should avoid booking holidays the PM’s spokesman said: ‘That is a choice for individuals.’