Playing under Klopp's looming shadow

LEIPZIG, Germany — RB Leipzig hosts Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday as Jurgen Klopp's recent past and not-too-distant future collide.

The 57-year-old will not be there at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday but his shadow still looms over the contest.

Klopp stepped down as Liverpool manager in the summer citing exhaustion after a successful nine-year spell which included lifting the Champions League and Premier League.

In October, Klopp announced his return to soccer, not as a coach but running Red Bull's soccer operations, which oversees clubs in several cities including Leipzig, Salzburg and New York.

He will be absent from the game, choosing to wait to attend a match after starting the role in January.

While the appointment was a surprise in Germany and in England, the focus on Leipzig has been particularly acute.

In a strange quirk of the fixture list, Leipzig's five fixtures after the announcement includes games against each of Klopp's former clubs: Mainz, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund.

'Kloppo in Mallorca'

Klopp was again a topic of conversation after Leipzig's 2-0 win at Mainz on Saturday, by fans and media alike.

Some fans held banners protesting the appointment, while reporters asked if Leipzig coach Marco Rose had asked Klopp for tips on how to beat the Reds on Wednesday.

Rose played under Klopp for several years at Mainz and the two maintain a good relationship.

He said he would "not be phoning up" his former coach for tips on how to beat Liverpool.

"Kloppo is in (Spanish island) Mallorca, looking after his dog, his wife and his children.

"I will do everything (to beat Liverpool) but I won't call Klopp.

"He needs his peace and quiet and needs to rest a bit.

"And I'll grant him that."

Born and raised in Leipzig, Rose took the ambitious club to the 2023 German Cup title in his first season.

The 48-year-old followed it up with a run to the Champions League last 16, where Leipzig was narrowly eliminated by eventual champion Real Madrid.

This season, Leipzig has managed to hold onto most of its young talent, giving rise to hopes of a shot at the league title and a long run in Europe.

Although Leipzig is second to Bayern Munich on goal difference in the Bundesliga, the Champions League is another story, albeit with a tough draw.

Leipzig conceded late goals to lose away at Atletico Madrid and at home against Juventus.

The Saxon side has yet to claim a point in Europe this season, making Wednesday's clash with the Premier League leader even more important.

'Extremely stable'

Like Liverpool, Leipzig's strong league form this campaign has been built on a miserly defense.

Leipzig has kept clean sheets in six of seven league games. The two goals it did concede came against Bayer Leverkusen in a game Leipzig won 3-2, the defending champion's first defeat on German soil in 15 months.

Starting the campaign under Klopp replacement Arne Slot, Liverpool has conceded just three goals in eight league games this season, by far the best mark in the Premier League.

Peter Gulacsi, Leipzig's goalkeeper, on Saturday recognized the similarities.

"Liverpool are extremely stable and don't allow much at the back — just like us.

"That's why it won't be easy.

"Their style of play has changed a bit (under Slot), they play a bit more with the ball and are very structured.

"We've shown in the first two games we're on par with our opponents, but now we have to finally reward ourselves for our hard work."

AFP