You'll have plenty to celebrate when you subscribe to the Liverpool FC newsletter Sign me up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Sascha Klaverkamp is the chief sports editor at the Dortmund-based Ruhr Nachrichten newspaper, the media partner of Borussia Dortmund.

He watched at first hand how Reds boss Jurgen Klopp delivered success to Dortmund in a hugely successful seven year spell.

He recently visited Klopp at Melwood and afterwards spoke with Liverpool FC editor Andy Kelly ahead of the manager’s return to Dortmund on Thursday for the Europa League quarter final first leg tie.

How excited are people in Dortmund for the return of Jurgen Klopp on Thursday?

I think people in Dortmund are very excited. For seven years they had a wonderful time together. In 2008 when Klopp came from Mainz, the club Borussia Dortmund laid on the bottom, they had financial problems, they were an average team in the German league.

Step by step Klopp created his style of attacking football, of as he says ‘high speed’ football, and they went better and better from year to year.

In 2011 there was the first German title for many years and in 2012 they won the Double.

For the fans in Dortmund, Klopp is kind of a God. As it is in Liverpool, football is kind of a religion in Dortmund, the stadium is like a cathedral and the fans are like believers when they go to the match.

Klopp with his impulsive, passionate kind of being, he’s one of a kind. Everyone in Dortmund knows that and that they had a coach in this kind that never will be again.

What was the overriding emotion when Klopp decided to leave. Was it sadness or was it the right time for him to move on after a disappointing 2014/15 season?

Klopp said a few months before he decided to leave that if he recognises that he is not the right coach any more for the team in a situation, he will quit a job. He won’t wait until a club fires him, he will quit - and that’s what he did.

He recognised that after seven years, many players he bought or made brilliant like Mario Gotze who then was transferred to Bayern Munich, after so many years needed a new spirit or a new coach with new ideas. He decided to move but it was not easy for him. There was a press conference where he talked about his decision, and it was a really hard one because he was close to tears.

With the club bosses, with (Dortmund CEO) Hans-Joachim Watzke and (sporting director) Michael Zorg he has a special relationship, it’s really a kind of friednship. These three decided all the things together at Dortmund as a team, which players we have to buy, which players we have to sell. It was a really good friendship so it was hard for him to quit.

How do you think Klopp will cope with being back in the Westfalenstadion and what type of reception is being planned for him?

I think it’s a hard decision for the Dortmund fans because of course they want to support their own team but they also want to say thank you to their former coach.

I think it will be a warm, hearty welcome on Thursday. They will cheer, they will show banners I think with ‘Thank You Kloppo’ on them but I think they know it is an important moment for their own team too so I don’t think it will be more than a really good welcome.

I don’t think Klopp will walk around and cheer the fans.

Klopp said after Liverpool beat Man United that he didn’t want Dortmund in the next round because they are the strongest team in the tournament. What was the feeling in Dortmund about drawing Liverpool?

I think in Dortmund they are happy in playing against Liverpool. They all said ‘it’s not easy’ and if they could wish they would have preferred the match as a final or semi-final but it’s now the reality.

They know Dortmund is the favourite and from this position they can be really calm with the situation and the match.

It was not everyone cheering everywhere that ‘Klopp comes back!’

Does the success of Thomas Tuchel as Dortmund manager this season suggest Klopp made his exit at the right time and how would you compare Klopp and Tuchel’s style of play?

Thomas Tuchel had a very hard job in the beginning because everyone loves Jurgen Klopp and he was very successful in working with Dortmund. But Tuchel managed to develop Klopp’s style, to play football with not as much speed and energy as Klopp football. Tuchel football is more controlling the game, ball possession, more controlled offensive.

When Klopp players have the ball there is a speed attack - like a robbery! Tuchel has developed the style of Borussia Dortmund and he is very successful in it.

There are a few players like Henrikh Mkhitaryan, from Armenia, who under Jurgen Klopp - although he bought him - had a lot of bad games for Borussia Dortmund. Now under Tuchel Mkhitaryan is a world-class player, he has many assists, many goals, he is much more self-confident under Klopp.

It’s one example of players who play better now than under Klopp.