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The situation report had gloomy resonances when Liverpool’s sporting committee met last week with the coach, Jürgen Klopp, to evaluate the strategy to follow once morest Manchester City this Sunday (4:45 p.m., DAZN), in which it is presented as the most decisive match of the season in the fight for the Premier. In addition to the losses of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jones and Thiago, there was added the physical precariousness of Salah, who suffers from an inflammation in his hip, the rigidity of Van Dijk, the overweight of Konaté, the dispersions of Quansah, the inexperience of Bradley, the emotional weakness of Joe Gómez, the disconnections of Gravenberch, the lack of courage of Endo to ask the center backs for the ball and the reckless lapses of Szoboszlai to play it. Given the circumstances, the technicians suggested Klopp make an exception. Against City, probably the most competent team in Europe at taking over the opposing half, perhaps it was advisable, for once, for the goalkeeper and the defenders to come out playing with long passes, skipping the midfield. Klopp flatly refused. If his players take a step back, it won’t be because he opens that door for them.
The last Klopp-Guardiola confrontation in the Premier series that began in 2016 is presented as another monument to courage. This time, shrouded in a melancholic haze. Since the German coach announced on January 26 that he would leave his position at the end of the season, the two teams have grown without pause, as if each day they overcame a hurdle that leads to the duel that would decide everything. The atmosphere at Anfield will be explosive. “We accept the challenge,” Guardiola warned on Friday, aware that the fans and rival players are preparing to provide a feat of strength by its charismatic leader.
“Klopp has met with the club’s officials many times to demand contractual improvements for practically all the players,” explain sources close to the port club. “The staff feels indebted to him. The players want him to say goodbye by winning the Premier.”
The Premier in question is not just another league. It is the most popular league on the planet at its peak. Never so far this century, in any of the great league tournaments in Europe, has there been a championship that on the threshold of spring exhibits three clear favorites for the title who, in addition, are universal references of attacking play. With 11 games left, Liverpool is second with 63 points, one behind Arsenal, which yesterday beat Brentford (2-1) and occupied the virtual lead with one more game. City, third with 62 points, needs to win at Anfield to depend on itself.
“After me? No, it is not true that replacing me is impossible,” said Klopp, when asked on Friday if it will be impossible to find a successor who is on par with him. “This club is different. Its people are different. The Liverpool people gave Bill Shankly his chance, and they gave it to those who came following him. And they all achieved bigger things than us. I really think it’s the ideal time for a new coach to come because we haven’t won all the trophies. We have left some boxes blank. “If you replace Guardiola at City you need to win 10 championships in a row to be up to par.”
Shankly, Paisley, Klopp, Alonso
The comparison was timely. Bill Shankly, manager and founding patriarch of Liverpool, stopped coaching the team in 1974. His people skills, his empathy, his humanity to emotionally engage the footballers to multiply their abilities, corresponds with Klopp’s talent to command and inspire. . Shankly had won three First Division championships the day he left the dressing room. His feat, following being promoted to the team, seemed unmatched. His successors, however, surpassed him. Bob Paisley won three European Cups and his assistant and heir, Joe Fagan, raised the first and only club in the history of the Reds, in 1984. Now Liverpool are working to hire Xabi Alonso. The club’s leaders have placed the Tolosarra player at the top of their priorities to occupy Klopp’s bench in July.
Whoever picks up the baton, Klopp will take with him non-transferable assets. The German is the colleague who most often faced the Spanish. And the only one who won more times than he lost. Since his time at the helm of Dortmund, when he faced Guardiola’s Bayern, he accumulated 25 games, eight defeats and ten victories. Compared to the coach with the most titles this century (37) and the only one who has won 11 trophies in the three strongest leagues in Europe, his record is unique.
“I completely respect his decision to leave office; “I spoke with him and I had the feeling that he will return sooner or later,” Guardiola said. “He loves football. His passion is there. The way his teams play explains everything regarding how he feels the game.”
Jürgen Klopp feels the game like his Liverpool. Against all inclemencies, with or without consecrated stars, his principles remain unchanged. When in doubt, courage.
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