Jürgen Klopp has never met Benfica as a coach – yet a very special moment connects him with Lisbon.
Jürgen Klopp had only one wish in the draw for the Champions League quarter-finals, and it came true: “The only thing I didn’t want was an English team,” the coach told Liverpool FC’s club website. “We play each other often enough during the season. “
Instead, the Reds have been drawn Benfica Lisbon, a more salubrious opponent in every respect: because Liverpool have the best chance of reaching the semi-finals in the clashes on 5 and 13 April – and because it brings back fond memories for Klopp.
It was in autumn 2015 when Klopp was on holiday in Lisbon with his family and Mike Gordon, the president of LFC owner “Fenway Sports Group”, called him to offer him the coaching job at Liverpool. “I was sitting outside a coffee bar, I get the call and we made the decision while still in Lisbon,” said Klopp, who promptly ended his sabbatical and joined Liverpool some three months after leaving Borussia Dortmund.
Klopp: favourite? “That’s already the first mistake “
As he did in the round of 16 against Inter Milan (2-0/0-1), Klopp now faces an opponent in the quarter-finals whom he has never met before as a coach. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he said ahead of his return to Lisbon. “Benfica obviously did very well against Ajax. I know people will say we’re favourites and all that, but that’s already the first mistake you can make. We’ve been in the business too long for that. “