Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri insists Jurgen Klopp is playing mind games with his Champions League comments last week.

The Liverpool boss has declared Juve as favourites for this season's crown - even declaring Sarri's team was "the best I've seen in my life".

But Sarri insists Klopp is simply deflecting expectations from his own team as defending title holders.

"Jurgen said Juventus are favourites in the Champions League? He also said that he didn't watch much Italian football, which explains his confusion!" laughed Sarri.

"He is one of the smartest and funniest people I have ever known and what he does here is to lighten the burden of being the favourites in the Champions League."

Juve kickoff their round of 16 tie next week at Lyon.