First against second
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Before one of the biggest games on his farewell tour, Jürgen Klopp was in a great mood. “No matter how it turns out, nobody should open the champagne bottles,” joked the cult coach of Liverpool FC before the summit with Manchester City. The title fight in England has not yet been decided.
The 56-year-old is still aware of the importance of the encounter: “I don’t know who plays against each other in the other leagues in the world: but it’s probably THE game of the weekend.” First against second, motivational artist against tactics guru – it doesn’t get much more than that. “Pep is the best coach in the world,” said Klopp before his last meeting with Guardiola in the Premier League.
The duel between star coaches has shaped the leading football league in recent years like no other coaching showdown. The two exceptional personalities met 15 times in England’s top division alone. The German won four times and the Spaniard five times. Guardiola, who fought exciting sporting duels with Klopp when he was still coaching Bayern and Klopp Borussia Dortmund, recently praised the former BVB coach as the “best rival I ever had”. Both are the other’s trainer with whom they had the most duels. When it comes to personal relationships, Klopp emphasized mutual appreciation: “When we meet in the future, it will be full of respect.” He added with a laugh: “We will have a lot to talk about.”
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Looking ahead to the game on Sunday (4.45 p.m./Sky), Klopp said: “Anfield is a massive factor for us”. The league comeback of an offensive star could be at least as important: Mohamed Salah is available to Klopp again against City’s super offensive around Erling Haaland and the recently great Phil Foden. If the Reds win, they would be four points ahead of the champions of the last three years at the top of the table. A dream farewell with the second championship under Klopp after 2020 would be closer – even if a third club, Arsenal FC, is involved in the exciting title race and is only two points behind Liverpool before matchday 28.
Additional trophies are possible for Klopp’s big Merseyside farewell, even the so-called quadruple is included: Klopp already won the League Cup at the end of February – and his team also has a good chance of winning the FA Cup and the Europa League. On Thursday, Liverpool beat Sparta Prague 5-1 in the first leg of the round of 16. Just like the day after, Klopp joked with reporters in his typical style. Asked if he was interested in a Sparta player joining Liverpool, he said: “I’m quitting in the summer. Should I take him on vacation with me?”
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