The journalist responsible for provoking Jurgen Klopp’s departure from a post-match interview has disclosed the subsequent actions of the irate Liverpool manager.
Klopp, visibly displeased following his team’s dramatic 4-3 loss to arch-rivals Manchester United in an intense FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford, faced inquiries about his team’s alleged lack of intensity in extra time, particularly as Amad Diallo secured a decisive 121st-minute victory.
Klopp said, before walking off: “Come on! You are obviously not in a great shape. I don’t have the nerve for this.”
Niels Christian Frederiksen was asking the questions and he has told Tipsbladet of how tensions continued to run high after the cameras stopped rolling: “I was very surprised by it, and those standing around were scared, and they were almost pressed up against the wall like: ‘wow, what the hell just happened here?’ It continued after what was seen on TV. He continued down the hallway, where he yelled and screamed at me. I also followed him because I thought it was something strange. I was very surprised, while some looked very shocked, and they asked: ‘Are you okay?’ and of course I’m okay.
“I have interviewed Jurgen many times. I don’t know him personally, but I’ve been to Mainz several times when Leon Andreasen and Mohamed Zidan were there, and I have also interviewed him in Dortmund and many times during his time in Liverpool. So we don’t have a bad relationship at all. I know that when you’re one of the world’s best coaches, and you have been for years, it doesn’t come if you’re not the world’s worst loser. The premise of being a good coach is that you don’t like to lose and that you are a winner.”
Frederiksen added on the unfortunate incident: “I interpret it mostly as an expression of his terrible frustration that they lost to Manchester United in the manner it happened, where they were ahead twice and should have sealed the deal. His dream scenario was to play an FA Cup final at Wembley in his last match in England, and that’s been taken from him now. So I can understand he’s super frustrated. Then he got a question he didn’t think was appropriate.
It’s been a theme for them that they’ve had many injuries and many matches, which he has complained about. Then he got a question about why they didn’t have intensity in the game, and then he snapped. That’s fair enough. I have absolutely no problem with that. There will be absolutely no problems in the future. I can’t imagine that at all. When I interview him again, we’ll still be good friends – professionally speaking. I don’t think he holds a grudge, and I certainly don’t.”
Liverpool held the lead twice against Manchester United, both in regular time and after Harvey Elliott’s goal in extra time. However, they failed to maintain their advantage, leading to jubilant celebrations from their rivals as the Red Devils advanced to Wembley for a semi-final clash against surprise contender Coventry City.