Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino does not believe the news of Jurgen Klopp’s impending departure will affect Liverpool’s performances in the coming months.
On Wednesday, Liverpool host Chelsea in their first Premier League game since Klopp’s surprise announcement that he will leave the club at the end of the season.
Last Friday, Klopp said he was “running out of energy” and intends to take a sabbatical after more than eight years with Liverpool, who he has led to seven major trophies.
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Liverpool could yet end Klopp’s reign with a quadruple, with the Reds boasting a five-point lead at the Premier League summit. They are also among the favourites to win the Europa League and FA Cup and will face Chelsea in the EFL Cup final next month.
Some have suggested the timing of Klopp’s announcement could serve to galvanise Liverpool’s players, and Pochettino would not be surprised if that was the case.
“It’s a tricky question because everything always depends on results,” he said on Tuesday. “It’s difficult to give a right answer because who can guess? We’ll see afterwards.
“Everyone needs to say the things that they believe in that moment. For him, it was the moment to announce his situation. I think it’s not going to change too much.
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— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 28, 2024
“I think the players are professionals and for sure, he has the energy to manage the team until the end and the players want to win.
“I’m not seeing it as a situation that will affect performances. It’s just that in football you can win or you can lose.
“I understand people will say, if they don’t win, ‘the announcement was made at the wrong time’.
“But if they finish and they win the Premier League, they’ll say it was very good, the players felt free and wanted to provide him with results and memories in his last few months. Who knows?”
Klopp received a rousing ovation from Liverpool’s supporters ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup win over Norwich City, and Pochettino knows the news of his departure is likely to rachet up the Anfield atmosphere.
However, the Argentine has every intention of spoiling the party on Wednesday, saying: “Of course, it will be a special game for him and I think until the end it will always be special.
“Every time they play will be a party to celebrate him, and for the fans to give him the love that they feel.
“But we are thinking about going there to win the game, we don’t want to be involved in the celebrations.”
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— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 30, 2024
Asked if he expects Klopp’s absence from the game to be a short-term one, Pochettino said: “I hope so, yes, because he’s a coach and a person that I’m going to miss.
“I love to watch him on the touchline, and of course his teams on the pitch.”
