Klopp can thrive at Red Bull despite the betrayal taunts

Not everyone is thrilled by Jurgen Klopp's new global role

- RICHARD JOLLY

Across a quarter of a century and three clubs, Jurgen Klopp had forged a reputation as the people’s champion, the charismatic communicator with the capacity to get everyone to buy into what he was doing. His legend was burnished, his legacy endured.

Nine years after his departure from Borussia Dortmund, he was welcomed back to the Signal Iduna Park in September to coach in a testimonial game between sides captained by Jakub Blaszczykowski and Lukasz Piszczek, performing his trademark fist pumps in front of the Yellow Wall again.

On Saturday, Mainz turned their attention to the manager who propelled them from the German second flight into Europe. “Have you forgotten everything we gave you?” read one banner. “Bist du bekloppt?” (“Are you crazy?”) asked another, punning on his surname in his native tongue. For once, the people turned on Klopp.

And so to tomorrow. RB Leipzig against Liverpool has assumed another dimension. It is Klopp’s future – of sorts, anyway – against his past. He said when leaving Liverpool he would not coach another English club. His second bombshell of 2024 was instead to announce he would become Red Bull’s global head of soccer in January. For now, he is on holiday but with a vested interest this week. The embryonic Champions League table, after two rounds, looks good for his former clubs, with Dortmund top and Liverpool fifth; less so for two who will occupy his time, with Leipzig 29th and Red Bull Salzburg, under Pep Lijnders, 34th out of 36 teams.