“I know more Dutch players personally” – Klopp makes cheeky Xavi admission ahead of Germany’s clash with Netherlands
| Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images |
Jürgen Klopp is set to take charge of Germany for the first time on Thursday, when they face the Netherlands away from home in the UEFA Nations League.
The Netherlands also have a new coach, with former FC Barcelona star and head coach Xavi Hernández having replaced Ronald Koeman, and Klopp had a witty remark for his new counterpart on Wednesday.
“I know more of the Dutch players personally than Xavi does. Whether that’s an advantage, I don’t know, but it’s a fact nonetheless,” Klopp told reporters on Wednesday, prompting laughter.
As for how he plans to line up and set up his team on Thursday, the 59-year-old kept his cards close to his chest.
“It’s clear that we want to play good football. But we also want to be a little surprising,” Klopp said, adding that the Netherlands are in a similar position.
