Liverpool (dpa) – farewell! Jürgen Klopp’s successful era at Liverpool will be extended by another two years.
As the football club and the coach announced one day after the 2-0 (0-0) in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals against the harmless Bayern conqueror FC Villarreal, the star coach is extending his contract, which expires in 2024, by another two years. In doing so, Klopp sent a strong signal for the crucial weeks on the way to the historic title four-pack.
“Ulla wants to stay”
“I’m staying for two more years,” said Klopp in a video clip distributed by Liverpool FC. In it he first joked that his wife Ulla is the reason for staying. “Ulla wants to stay. So what do you do as a good husband if the woman wants to stay? You stay,” explained the 54-year-old with a mischievous grin. Seriously, he added to the fans: “You know I love our club, it’s the best place to be. I feel really, really happy.”
Several media had previously reported that Klopp had signaled that he could imagine a longer engagement with the top English club. Originally, the former Dortmund champion coach had announced his departure for 2024 after nine years in Liverpool.
It’s a huge gift for Liverpool fans as Klopp has restored the club to a top spot in international football. This season even beckons a year for the history books, should the Reds actually win all four titles for the first time in their club history.
Third premier class final beckons
Klopp left the title talk after the sovereign success over Villarreal cold. “Wet our pants just before the toilet, it’s still wet, that’s why it’s not really close now, it doesn’t help either,” said the 54-year-old on the DAZN microphone. The Bayern bankruptcy in Villarreal is enough warning for the coach. “It’s only half-time, nothing more, nothing less,” said Klopp, who is looking forward to the third premier class final with Liverpool in five years.
In view of the sovereign performance, Villarreal would have to improve considerably in order to stop the Liverpool Express towards the final on May 28th in Paris. “It was total dominance. It’s the best team I’ve ever seen in a red jersey,” enthused former LFC striker and international Michael Owen at BT Sport, who believes the Klopp team can make the big splash. “It’s actually impossible, but now you think it can happen. The way they play, their beliefs.”
Owen is not alone in this opinion. Even Rio Ferdinand, once a star defender at arch-rivals Manchester United, was delighted: “They are relentless with and without the ball. It’s the way they put teams under pressure, the energy, the commitment, it’s amazing.” Looking at the quadruple, Ferdinand added: “If they achieve it, they are immortal, they are above anyone who has played the game in this country.”
Four titles possible
For the first time in the club’s glorious history, Liverpool could lift four trophies in one season. They’ve already won the League Cup, they’ve reached the FA Cup final against Chelsea and coach Thomas Tuchel, and in the Premier League the LFC are just a point behind long-time rivals Manchester City. “I can’t think about any titles at all,” said Klopp given the tight schedule. “We’re trying to get through the situation as best we can.” It is already “a great season” for him at this point in time.
Mike Gordon, president of the American club owner Fenway Sports Group, traveled to the Villarreal game on Wednesday. The businessman had already negotiated the last contract with Klopp in 2019. Mark Kosicke, the adviser to the successful coach, was also in the stands during the game against the Spaniards – a clear sign of serious contract talks.
Klopp has been the Reds manager since 2015. During this time he has led the club back to the top of Europe. In 2019 he won the Champions League with Liverpool, in 2020 the first championship in 30 years. His whereabouts may also be a criterion for the two star strikers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané to extend their contracts, which expire in 2023.