Tuchel wants warm Dortmund welcome for Klopp
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Article summary
Thomas Tuchel says Jürgen Klopp deserves a warm welcome for the "great job" he did as Borussia Dortmund coach as he returns to his former club as Liverpool manager.
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Article body
- Dortmund's Thomas Tuchel expects a "warm welcome" for the returning Jürgen Klopp
- Liverpool manager Klopp won two Bundesliga titles as Dortmund coach
- Klopp: "I've caught up with old friends; now we're focused on the game"
- The Bundesliga side are 16 matches unbeaten in 2016
- Dortmund eliminated English opposition, Tottenham Hotspur, in the round of 16
Possible lineups
Dortmund: Bürki; Piszczek, Hummels, Sokratis, Schmelzer; Weigl, Şahin, Kagawa, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Aubameyang.
Out: Subotić (arm)
Doubtful: Gündogan (foot)
Misses next match if booked: S Bender
Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Henderson, Can; Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino; Sturridge.
Out: Gomez (knee), Ings (knee), Lucas (thigh)
Doubtful: none
Misses next match if booked: Moreno, Lovren, Clyne, Coutinho, Firmino
Thomas Tuchel, Dortmund coach
Anything other than a warm welcome [for Klopp] would be a big surprise. He deserves it. He did a great job here. Jürgen is a very, very competitive kind of coach – one of the most competitive guys I know. It's a special game for him as well.
Liverpool have been getting stronger over the last few weeks, in large part due to Jürgen's input. They're very difficult to play against. They defend very high and have outstanding individual quality, particularly going forward. We're really excited about the game, but we know we need another top performance.
Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool manager
Dortmund have a cool way of playing, courageous going forward and aggressive, so it won't be easy but we're well prepared. If it was easy [to beat them], one or two teams might have discovered this earlier on.
We were lucky to get here a bit early, that gave me the chance to catch up with some old friends. Tomorrow's different: it's the game and we'll come here focused on that and make our way straight to the dressing rooms.
We've said Borussia Dortmund are favourites in this competition and I don't think there's anybody that really disagrees with that. If there is one little, little, little advantage for us, then it is that everybody knows the way Borussia Dortmund [have been playing for] a few years.
It's football, a lot of things can happen, especially in this stadium. We have to play absolute top, top-level football. If we are as good as we can be then it's a tight match and that's what we want.
Weekend results
Dortmund 3-2 Bremen (Aubameyang 53, Kagawa 77, Ramos 82; Gálvez 69, Junuzovic 74)
Liverpool 1-1 Tottenham (Philippe Coutinho 51; Kane 63)
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Dortmund: WWWWWD
Liverpool: DLDWWW
Reporter's view: Daniel Thacker (@UEFAcomDanielT)
While Klopp has stolen the headlines, it would be remiss to overlook how far Tuchel has brought Dortmund since his arrival last summer. BVB remain unbeaten in 2016 and are favourites to take an advantage to Anfield for the second leg. However, if anyone knows how to overcome the Schwarzgelben it is their former coach, who has led Liverpool to the last eight in UEFA competition for the first time since 2009/10.
Did you know?
The teams have met three times in UEFA competition, with the record W1 D1 L1. Most notably, Willi Multhaup's Dortmund beat Bill Shankly's Liverpool 2-1 after extra time in the 1966 European Cup Winners' Cup final in Glasgow. Read more in our match background.