The Europa League draw has thrown up one of the most high profile quarter-finals in the competition’s recent history, as Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp prepare to take on the German’s former club Borussia Dortmund.
Jurgen Klopp was wary about coming up against his ex-club before the quarter-final draws, even branding Dortmund as the strongest team in the competition. However, luck wasn’t in the Liverpool manager’s favour this time, as they were drawn against his former club in the Europa League last eight.
The 48-year-old appeared to be delighted with the draw, and claimed that he was relishing the opportunity to take his players to the ‘great city’ and ‘wonderful stadium’ of his former club Dortmund.
“I think the whole world will watch,” he said, according to the Mirror. “I am really happy with the draw. I am really happy to introduce my new team to Dortmund. I am really happy to show the boys this wonderful stadium and a great city. We’re all happy.
“It is a story only football can write, and it’s going to be really special, 100 per cent. It’s football at its best and how it should be. Playing in Dortmund is one of the best things you can do in football.”
An emotional return
Jurgen Klopp announced himself on the world stage during his seven years at Borussia Dortmund, leading Der Schwarzgelben to successive Bundesliga triumphs in 2010-11 and 2011-12. The 2011-12 season also saw him lead Dortmund to their first ever domestic double in the club’s history, winning the DFB-Pokal as well as the league title.
The former Mainz manager also won the DFL-Supercup with Dortmund in 2013 and 2014, before ending his time at the Westfalenstadion at the end of the 2014-15 season. By then, he had managed Dortmund for a staggering 318 games, winning 179 of them and losing 70.
Klopp’s sabbatical didn’t last long though as he took over at Liverpool in October 2015. The Europa League has now ensured that the German didn’t have to wait long to come up against his ex-club, and it will be a wonderful reunion for him come April.
