Former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund head coach Jurgen Klopp has played down taking over Real Madrid’s coaching position.
Los Blancos chose to part ways with Xabi Alonso following their 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Super Copa de España final.
Many reported that the player power in the dressing room is one of the major reasons the former Liverpool midfielder walked out. Kylian Mbappe was seen clearly going against the coach’s instructions on the pitch after the Barca players were given their medals, before Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo followed suit.
Álvaro Arbeloa has been told to take charge of the first team, while Alonso enjoys a sabbatical after seven months at the Santiago Bernabeu dugout.
Jürgen Klopp left Liverpool in 2024 to take up an executive role at Red Bull, and was surprised, first, that Alonso was sacked, and secondly, that he’s been linked to the coaching position at Real Madrid.
Speaking on Servus TV while on punditry duties, the big German revealed he’d been contacted about being Real Madrid’s coach, although via a third party.
“It actually has, though not from Madrid. But yes, there were definitely a few people who felt they had to contact me directly about it. First of all, I think it’s another sign that something isn’t quite right there at the moment,” the former Mainz 05 coach said.
“If Xabi Alonso, who over the last two years in Leverkusen has shown what an outstanding coaching talent he is, and I think at his age and with the number of jobs he’s had, you can say that, is then forced to leave Madrid just six months later, it shows a few things.
“On the one hand, it shows that nowadays there’s no time anymore. On the other hand, the expectations at Real Madrid are obviously enormous. To decide that in the heat of the moment, after losing a cup final to Barcelona yesterday, says a lot. I think we’d already been hearing rumours for a while.
“Now, I don’t know if that’s where your question was going, but this has absolutely nothing to do with me, and it didn’t trigger anything for me either, which would probably have been the follow-up question. I was surprised, that’s true, genuinely surprised. Then a few people messaged me, and I replied with various emojis,” Jurgen Klopp concluded.
Considering Klopp is a manager known for his counter-pressing approach, one that completely opposes everything Real Madrid are known for, contacting him for the job hints there’s some confusion among the Madrid hierarchy.
