Jürgen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann will be facing each other for the first time in a competitive match.
Jürgen Klopp and Julian Nagelsmann will be facing each other for the first time in a competitive match.

Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp: “If we’re at 95%, Hoffenheim will knock us out”

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Former Borussia Dortmund head coach Jürgen Klopp will be returning to Germany early in the 2017/18 season. The season before last, he overcome his former club in the Europa League: next up is Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim, and the German knows there can be no room for error.

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“If we’re only at 95% against Hoffenheim we’ll have big, big problems, and they will knock us out,” said Klopp, speaking to German broadcaster DAZN ahead of the Champions League play-off between the Bundesliga hot-shots and Liverpool on Tuesday.

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The former Mainz and Dortmund coach is coming up against Nagelsmann for the first time, and has heaped praise upon the 30-year-old coach and his team.

“They are a real tough nut to crack. It’s a great team, with a top coach and great development,” said Klopp.

“I saw them play against Bologna in their pre-season friendly and how much possession they had. They have a real cheeky confidence. They were very good.”

Hoffenheim’s confidence has not been knocked ahead of the prospect of facing the five-time Champions League winners. Serge Gnabry, who made his debut for the club over the weekend, has no doubt about Hoffenheim’s chances.

Liverpool began their Premier League campaign on Saturday, with a 3-3 draw at Watford. While Hoffenheim were in DFB Cup action over the weekend, overcoming Erfurt 0-1.

Watch: Hoffenheim's tactical wizardry

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