Nothing personal in Bayern clash for Liverpools Klopp

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp spent seven years battling against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga but he says there is nothing personal at play in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with the German champions.

In his time as coach of Borussia Dortmund and before that Mainz 05, Klopp faced Bayern 29 times and earned just nine victories.

The best known game of all was the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley Stadium when Arjen Robben’s 89th minute goal won the title for Bayern.

“There was never any negative thing with Bayern, but when we play each other and they buy our players, how can I be happy?” Klopp told a news conference on Monday.

Defender Mats Hummels and forward Robert Lewandowski were in Klopp’s Dortmund side in the 2013 final but are now with Bayern.

“I worked together with these boys. Two fantastic players. I have to be really thankful. Without them probably my career would not be the same,” he said.

“We all benefited from each other. That’s part of my life and part of my history. We’ll always have a lot of respect for each other.

“I know a lot about them. I really like them. We will try everything to, what can I say? To let them not shine.”

Klopp confirmed recent comments from Bayern president Uli Hoeness that the coach could have joined the Bavarian club in 2008 when they instead appointed Juergen Klinsmann.

“Whoever brought it up that in 2008 I had two phone calls with Bayern I would never have (talked) about it,” he said.