LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Jurgen Klopp has buried the hatchet of his old Bundesliga rivalry with Bayern Munich but wants Liverpool to show they are Champions League contenders by beating the German giants when the sides meet in the first leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday (Feb 19).
Bayern have won the Bundesliga for the past six years since Klopp's Dortmund claimed back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012.
Dortmund also lost the Champions League final to Bayern in 2013 and the rivalry between the two was intensified as Bayern picked off some of Klopp's best players in Mario Goetze, Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski.
"It's nothing, not a little bit personal," said Klopp on Monday (Feb 18).
"There were never any negative things with Bayern but when we played them or when they bought our players how could I be happy and say 'Great, good idea I'll bring him in my car.'
"That was not nice for us at Dortmund but it's part of the business. In these moments I was not happy, but it is long ago."
Despite reaching four semi-finals and a quarter-final since 2013, Bayern have not added to their five European Cup wins since Arjen Robben's late winner at Wembley six years ago.
Unfinished businessÂ
Liverpool also came close to adding to their five European crowns last season when losing out to Real Madrid in the final, but Klopp believes the fact his side are even considered contenders for the title now is a sure sign of progress since he was hired in 2015.
"The best thing of all the things we did so far since we are together is that we are a real competitor again. That is of course not enough, but it is a big step," added Klopp.
"Being not only part of the competition but people thinking we can beat Bayern, that's a big thing. The story so far is a nice one but not finished yet."
Liverpool have had 10 days to prepare for Bayern's visit, but despite the lay-off Klopp still has a team selection headache.
Virgil van Dijk is suspended, Joe Gomez is sidelined with a lower leg fracture and Dejan Lovren faces a race against time to recover from a hamstring injury, so Joel Matip and Fabinho are expected to form a make-shift centre-back pairing.
Roberto Firmino also missed training on Monday due to a virus making the Brazilian forward a doubt.
However, Klopp is hoping the power of Anfield's famous atmosphere on a European night will give his side the extra helping hand they need to take a lead to Germany in three weeks' time.
"In Germany a lot of people talk now about the atmosphere at Anfield. There was a lot of talk that we are maybe the most emotional club in world football," added Klopp.
"Emotion in my opinion is a very positive thing, so let's show that tomorrow night."
Bayern's slow start to the Bundesliga season put coach Niko Kovac immediately under pressure in his first campaign in charge.
But the Croatian refused to countenance whether he faces the sack should Bayern fail to make the last eight for the first time since 2012 despite being handed a devilishly difficult draw.
"If you look at what Liverpool did in the Champions League last season and the Premier League this season, it is the most difficult draw we could get," said Kovac.
"It is not about me tomorrow. It is about the club and the team."
Bayern could also be without some key players as Franck Ribery and Jerome Boateng did not travel with the rest of the squad.
Ribery will join up with his teammates after attending the birth of his daughter, while Boateng is suffering from gastroenteritis but could still travel if his condition improves.
Apr 25, 2019 · Klopp: Whatever happens in title run-in, we'll have 'no regrets' "I'm calm, and I just want to think about the Colombia team and later we'll see." Colombia plays Peru in a
Jurgen Klopp remains calm despite Borussia Dortmund's poor
Ireland had an own goal by Joseph Chipolina and an injury-time header by substitute Robbie Brady to thank for a 2-0 win over Gibraltar in their Euro 2020 Group D qualifier on Monday.
Own goal helps Ireland edge Gibraltar 2-0 - Football
The Australian Financial Review; Football: Australian Joe Palatsides set to replace Belgian Michel Sablon as FAS' new technical director The Straits Times; Australia squad for women's World Cup
Football: Football Association of Singapore appoints Joseph
MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola said his Manchester City team will be poised to pounce if Premier League leaders Liverpool falter, following a comfortable 3-0 win over Wolves on Monday that left City four points behind Jurgen Klopp's side.
WATCH: Man City ready to pounce on any Liverpool slip-ups
Belgium's Eden Hazard (centre) in action with Cyprus' Kostakis Artymatas (left) and Georgios Efrem. (Reuters pic) NICOSIA: Eden Hazard marked his 100th cap with an early goal to set Belgium on
Football: Hazard marks milestone with early goal to help
Spain made it four wins out of four and took control of their Euro 2020 qualifying group by beating closest rivals Sweden 3-0 on Monday after overpowering the visitors in the second half with two
Spain in Charge in Qualifying Quest After Beating Sweden
AFC Wimbledon delivered an FA Cup fourth-round shock as the League One strugglers humbled Premier League West Ham United 4-2 in a gripping tie in south-west London on Saturday. Wimbledon, bottom
AFC Wimbledon Humble West Ham United in FA Cup Shock
However Pochettino went on to distance himself from the rumours, more or less re-affirming his commitment to Spurs by saying: "I have just signed a long contract with Tottenham and I am very happy here." There was rumour that Pochettino's contract with Spurs included a clause that would allow him to leave in the instance of an offer from
Pochettino happy at Spurs but would `have to listen´ to
Liverpool could match Arsenal's Invincibles by going through a Premier League season without defeat, according to Unai Emery. Jurgen Klopp's side reached the halfway stage of the campaign with a 4-0 Boxing Day defeat of Newcastle United at Anfield, a result that moved the Reds six points clear at the top of the table.
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool can be the new 'Invincibles', says
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 01, 2019, with the headline 'Tigers riding high'. Print Edition | Subscribe
Tigers riding high - theworldnews.net
Read the latest Granada stories, Vincent Kompany to donate season of pay to homeless on ITV News, videos, stories and all the latest Granada news s Homelessness Fund, and donates 15% of his
Vincent Kompany Will be Raising Money for Manchester's
With Silva, Portugal no more just the Ronaldo show, Football
Manchester's homeless in good Kompany LONDON • Vincent Kompany believes that he has a duty to tackle the issue of homelessness in Manchester, which he has called home for the past 10 years. The 32-year-old Manchester City captain earlier this year set up a combined initiative called Tackle4Mcr with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in a
Vincent Kompany To Donate All Profits From His Testimonial To
I like him a lot as a player but he is nowhere near being the leader of the team after Cristiano Ronaldo left," Mijatovic told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. Bale hobbled off during Real Madrid
La Liga: Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Real Madrid's
0 comments:
Post a Comment