KLOPP AND JOSE
Ahead of Liverpool's Premier League clash with Manchester
United at Anfield on Monday Night Football, we examine Jurgen Klopp and Jose
Mourinho's head-to-head record.
The two men have faced each other on five previous occasions
stretching back to their time in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
Monday's much-anticipated encounter on Merseyside, though,
will be the first time the duo have met in their current guises as managers of
Liverpool and United.
So, who holds the upper hand
between the German and the Portuguese?
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Real
Madrid (Champions League Group D, October 2012)
The first time Klopp and
Mourinho went head-to-head was in a Champions League group stage clash four
years ago while in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid respectively.
The former took the
spoils on this occasion after his side edged a thrilling encounter at the
Westfalenstadion thanks to strikes either side of half-time from
forward Robert Lewandowski and left-back Marcel Schmelzer, sandwiched in
between Cristiano Ronaldo's customary Real goal.
fter
the game, Klopp gave an insight into his tactics against Mourinho sides when
saying: "They had more of the ball… but that was not a bad thing for
us."
Real Madrid 2-2 Borussia Dortmund (Champions League Group D,
November 2012)
The two managers did not have
long to wait before coming up against each other again as Madrid entertained
Dortmund in their next Champions League Group D contest at the Santiago
Bernabeu.
However, the 'Special One'
was still left waiting for his first win over Klopp after a 2-2 draw in the
Spanish capital, with Los Blancos grateful to Mesut Ozil's
last-minute free kick rescuing them a point.
Nonetheless, Mourinho was given notice of what to expect in
any future meetings with Klopp-managed teams after a pulsating first half from
the Bundesliga champions had seen them deservedly lead 2-1 at the break.
And while both went on
to qualify from the group, it was Klopp who earned the bragging rights after
his team topped the section ahead of Real.
Borussia Dortmund 4-1 Real
Madrid (Champions League semi-final first leg, April 2013)
Five months later and the two
super coaches were once again plotting each other's downfall, with a place
in that season's Champions League final at Wembley Stadium at stake for the
victor.
Back
in front of Dortmund's Yellow Wall, though, the Portuguese's team were
annihilated after a four-goal blitz from Lewandowski, and this despite the tie
still being level with 40 minutes to go.
Mourinho was quick to make his feelings clear after the
full-time whistle, saying: "My team is so naive that Lewandowski scores
four goals and we don't foul him once."
Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (Champions League semi-final
second leg, April 2013)
In the build-up to the return clash at the Santiago
Bernabeu, a game that would ultimately decide Mourinho and Real's season,
tensions were understandably high between the two men.
"I have said a little bit about Dortmund and that's
enough," said Mourinho ahead of the match. "Since the day of the
draw, Klopp talks every day."
The Dortmund boss was
unperturbed, though, responding: "Mourinho says I speak too much? That's
what one of my teachers used to tell me. I don't care, I don't think about
this."
And when asked whether this was mind games, Klopp added: "I'm not intelligent
enough to understand what it should be. But it's no problem, now I'll shut up,
and everything is okay."
Despite Mourinho recording his first victory over the all-smiling German at his
fourth attempt, courtesy of late goals from Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos, it
was a bittersweet moment as Klopp's men still edged Real 4-3 on
aggregate to progress to the final against Bayern Munich.
And by the end of that campaign, Madrid and Mourinho had also parted company…
Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool
(Premier League, October 2015)
Klopp made it three wins from
five encounters with Mourinho after getting the better of the-then Chelsea
manager to register his first victory as Liverpool boss last October.
At the time, the champions
were struggling near the foot of the table having lost five of their opening 10
league fixtures and Klopp increased the pressure on his rival by inflicting the
Blues' sixth defeat of the campaign.
And
yet it had all started so well for Mourinho, whose side took an early lead
through Ramires, only to then collapse following Philippe Coutinho's brilliant
strike in first-half injury time.
Further goals followed after
the break from the Brazil playmaker and Christian Benteke, with Klopp even
finding time to sympathise with his beaten opponent after the game.
"Things like this
happen," he said. "I had a similar situation at Dortmund last year.
The good thing was no one in the club was in doubt of my situation. I feel for
him of course, but it's work."
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