Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for his Italian counterpart at Brighton, Roberto De Zerbi, who has been tipped as one of the potential successors for the German when he leaves Anfield at the end of this season, when previewing their upcoming Premier League meeting this weekend.
De Zerbi and Brighton will travel North to face Liverpool at Anfield on Easter Sunday, kicking off at 14.00 GMT.
De Zerbi is one of the very few coaches that Klopp has come up against and failed to beat.
Since replacing Graham Potter at the Amex in September 2022, the former Sassuolo coach has picked up two wins and two draws from four matches against Liverpool across the Premier League and FA Cup.
De Zerbi is now one of the frontrunners to succeed Klopp at Liverpool when he leaves at the end of the 2023-24 season.
Following Xabi Alonso’s decision to remain at Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga for 2024-25, De Zerbi and Sporting CP coach Ruben Amorim are among the bookies’ favourites.
What Klopp said about De Zerbi
During his pre-match press conference on Friday, Klopp admitted that De Zerbi has his Brighton players playing in ‘a different way’ to what he is usually accustomed, suggesting that he ‘could not coach’ in that same way.
“Roberto is doing obviously an incredible job there and it’s a different game against Brighton, definitely. I think we improved over 18, 20 months since he’s there,” Klopp told reporters at the AXA training centre.
“The first game was surprising. I think we were the first opponent after he joined the club, if I’m right, and we had no clue what we have to expect.
“We knew how he played in his former club, we knew what Graham (Potter) did, but nobody knew how that would look in the end and it was quite impressive how quick he obviously got the team in his way.
“Since then, it only got better, it’s really impressive. It’s a different way of playing football.”
Klopp also suggested that De Zerbi’s coaching principles differ to his own, but believes that the Italian is destined for the top.
“The way they play. It’s a really different way, I couldn’t coach that, it goes against my personality, but it’s a good watch. It’s very demanding for the players, it’s clear positioning, hold your position, keep your positioning, pass in the right position, pass in the right moment.
“He’s a top coach, he’s doing really well. It’s super-interesting to see. I like watching them, to be honest. That makes it tricky. It’s just a different way. It’s possession-based but even more structured from a positional point of view from each player than maybe City or whoever has a bit more freedom in. They do really well.
“On their day, they can beat any team. But now, good news, we can do that as well, so we will try.”
Jürgen Klopp analysed the 'super-interesting' challenges his side will face when they come up against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday 👊#LIVBHA
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) March 29, 2024