Klopp mocks Xavi's squad knowledge | OneFootball

Jurgen Klopp marked his return to management with a playful swipe at Xavi’s squad knowledge as he readies Germany for a Nations League debut against the Netherlands. The former Liverpool boss struck an upbeat tone before the game.

According to Goal.com, the 59-year-old highlighted the symmetry of two new coaches starting at once, noting they met their squads on Monday before a Thursday kick-off. He suggested he knows more of the Dutch players personally than Xavi does, though he was unsure whether that counts as an advantage.

Klopp accepted there is uncertainty around how the Netherlands will line up. He said the priority is to play good football and that tactical specifics can wait until after the final whistle, adding that Germany want to spring a few surprises.

With limited time, Klopp has packed preparation with intensive tactical briefings as he tries to embed his ideas quickly. He views frequent communication as essential at the outset.

He said there have been meetings on Monday evening, again on Tuesday evening and immediately before training, with the team set to train then fly later. So far, he added, everything is fine.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”