Jurgen Klopp spoke very highly about Thomas Tuchel during his latest Liverpool press-conference prior to the match against Chelsea tomorrow night.
It’s red versus blue at Anfield on Thursday evening, with Premier League top four implications heavily on the line.
Chelsea taking on Liverpool is always one to circle pencil into the footballing diary.
But this one should be written in bold marker as it’s the first domestic meeting between Klopp and Tuchel on English soil.
The German coaches have followed a very similar sporting path up until this point. Both managed Mainz and Borussia Dortmund before taking over at one of England’s elite clubs.
Liverpool’s boss was asked about the relationship he shared with his opposite number.
“I’m interested in winning a football game, that all,” Klopp admitted.
“Thomas is the same. We’ve known each other for a long time. We have kind of a common history. He worked for Mainz, like I did. He worked for Dortmund, like I did.
“We know a lot of the same people, having worked together with them.
“We didn’t play a lot against each other. We played in the Champions League, we played in the European league with Dortmund in the last five years.
“I think he is an outstanding coach. It will be tricky to play his team. Like it always is tricky, because he’s a good one. “
Tuchel previously played a Klopp team twice at Anfield, once with Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League group stage and in the Europa League quarter final with Dortmund.
They’ve also gone toe-to-toe in the Bundesliga when Klopp was BVB boss and Tuchel manager of Mainz.
This battle on Merseyside between Chelsea and Liverpool could be a pinnacle moment in both of their careers.
Especially for Tuchel, who’s been slightly in Klopp’s shadow for some time.
A win for the Blues would take them into a European position and stretch his unbeaten streak to 10 matches.
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