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Jurgen Klopp says he understands Xabi Alonso’s decision to remain at Bayer Leverkusen having himself turned down a chance to join Bayern Munich.
Alonso’s Friday announcement disappointed fans of both Bayern and Liverpool who had hoped that European football’s brightest managerial talent was tempted by the vacant posts at clubs he represented as a player.
Unsurprisingly, it was the first topic of conversation when Klopp faced the media on Friday afternoon and while the German would not be drawn on the issue of his own replacement, he was happy to draw parallels with a similar situation in his own career.
“I can speak about a young manager being at a club where he’s doing really well,” Klopp told reporters. “I did pretty much the same, and never regretted it. That’s everything I can really say about it. Xabi’s doing an incredible job there, Leverkusen has a good team, they’ll probably keep the team together. So I understand why he wants to do it.”
Alonso’s bold call marks a rare occasion on which perennial Bundesliga winners Bayern have not gotten their way in recent years. Picking off managers and players from their main competitors has become a key strategy during their domination of a league that was last won by another club when Klopp secured back-to-back titles with Borussia Dortmund in 2011 and 2012.
It is likely that one approach that Klopp alluded came around that period, with the Reds boss saying in 2022 that Bayern have tried to land him ‘a few’ times.
The Alonso speculation may finally be put to bed but, as fate would have it, the Reds face another manager heavily linked with the role in Roberto De Zerbi this weekend.
Liverpool host the highly-rated Italian and his Brighton and Hove Albion side in what is shaping up to be a pivotal Sunday in the Premier League title race.
