Within hours before the face-off between two of the most charismatic managers in the world, Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho, the question is who will be the ‘happy one’ after the teams of ‘ The Normal One’ and ‘The Special One’ lock horns.
Liverpool fans are hoping that ‘Klopp will chop’ Jose or are picturing Klopp running down the touchline celebrating while Mourinho complains to the referees.
While Chelsea fans are waiting for Klopp and Liverpool to get thrashed.
Let’s take a look what the managers have to say about each other.
Klopp on Mourinho:
“When I was in Germany, sometimes we sent short messages (to each other), From my side, I am full of respect for his work. I think if you are not a journalist or a referee he can be a nice guy, and I am not one of these so we have a good talk.”
“I like to meet people and he is a nice guy and he was really full of respect during the game. He is emotional, I am emotional, but we are full of enough respect after the whistle that normal life starts again and you can talk normally about things that happen and that is what we did. Everything is okay with us, no problem.”
“Mourinho isn’t a worse coach than last year. The players aren’t worse than last year. Things happen. I feel for him as I had something similar, but it’s not the end of the world. They can still play football and that’s our problem.”
Mourinho on Klopp:
“For Juergen, I am not a close friend because football doesn’t allow that but he is a guy I like a lot. We have a good relation and as a manager his work speaks and in spite of the last season, I consider him one of the top managers.”
Records:
Mourinho vs Klopp:
Matches: 4
Klopp won:2
Draw:1
Mourinho won:1
2012, 24 October:
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 2(LEWANDOWSKI,SCHMELZER) : REAL MADRID 1(OZIL)
2012, 6 NOVEMBER:
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 2(REUS, ARBELOA OWN GOAL): REAL MADRID 2(PEPE, OZIL)
2013, 24 APRIL:
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 4(LEWANDOWSKI 4x): REAL MADRID 1(CHRISTIANO RONALDO)
2013, 30 APRIL:
REAL MADRID 2 (BENZEMA, RAMOS): BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0
Now, even though Chelsea is continuing their dismal form, Liverpool aren’t also setting things on fire.
It’s a 50-50 match, probably going to be a draw and maybe Liverpool might nick off with a win.Mourinho is on the brink of sacking, with strong rumours that if he loses the Liverpool game, it will spell doom to his Chelsea career.
Klopp’s Dortmund’s 4-1 thrashing of Madrid in the Champions League semifinal cost Mourinho his job at Real in 2013, Deja-Vu anyone?