What Mauricio Pochettino once said about Jurgen Klopp, with Liverpool manager’s exit announced today

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Today has seen Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp announce that he will be leaving his club when this season comes to an end.

Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino will be the first side to visit Anfield since the news broke, with them playing there in the Premier League next week.

Klopp has undoubtedly established himself as one of the greats in the Premier League era, and has a chance at completing something memorable in his final season in charge.

The German has also emerged as a popular figure amongst fans and peers alike, with Pochettino certainly falling into his camp of fans.

Before Chelsea and Liverpool met to kick off their respective Premier League seasons, the Argentine praised his opposite number for how he has interacted with him in the past.

He said: “I love him, but I want to beat him — it’s going to be a good game and for sure I am going to enjoy meeting him again.

Pochettino comments about Klopp

“I cannot tell you what he said in the message, but they were very nice words. [In the Champions League final] we competed really well and, for different reasons, they won.

“But I have nothing to say against Liverpool or Jurgen, that is football, and I hope we can arrive again one day and the result will be different. I enjoy his philosophy of football and how he is, his character. I like him, he is a very warm person.

‌“His debut was against us at the old White Hart Lane and from then we have had a very good relationship and been good friends in between. Players who played for us at Southampton, like Adam Lallana, created a good link in between us.

“A player who loves us and then loves Jurgen is a good way to create good feelings between coaches and staff. We are both passionate, although he is better than me at showing it and making something of it because of his personality.”

The two managers are going to be quite well acquainted over the next month or so. After the Premier League clash next week, there is the small matter of the EFL Cup final to come too.

Klopp got the better of Thomas Tuchel in this fixture two years ago, and it remains to be seen if Pochettino can better that and win his first trophy in English football.