Real Madrid considering ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp as new head coach due to one reason: Reports
Real Madrid are considering former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp for the top job if their current head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is sacked. According to reports from the Mirror, Ancelotti is widely expected to be asked to leave if Madrid lose the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal to Arsenal at home.
Los Blancos lost the first leg of the quarterfinal 0-3 in London but have prepared extensively for an overhaul in the second leg, to be played at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid on Wednesday, April 16. If they get knocked out of the competition, the club is willing to see Ancelotti off.
While Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has been one of the favorites to take over after Ancelotti leaves, Real Madrid have also kept a close tab on Klopp. Alonso had a stellar last season with Leverkusen and almost won them the treble (he won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal); his credentials are spotless.
However, the report states that Klopp's experience in managing Liverpool, a big club on par with Real Madrid, has gone in his favor. Nonetheless, striking a deal is not going to be easy. Alonso is reported to be open to the move if he is approached, but Klopp is likely to be given a freer hand to deal with things.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez believes that Klopp can solve his club's tactical issues, according to the report. Moreover, Leverkusen's poor performances this season have led many to question Alonso's ability to deal with a club as big as Madrid.
"That’s it for me as a coach" - Jurgen Klopp after leaving Liverpool
One of the biggest hurdles that Madrid might face in their chase of Klopp is the latter's refusal to work anymore. He left Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season, saying that he needed time to rest, relax and recover.
“I didn’t decide to stop on a whim, it was a general decision. I’m looking for peace and quiet, I’m one hundred per cent in the here and now and I’m enjoying it. It was just time to step aside and put the whole thing to rest. As of today, that’s it for me as a coach. I’m too young to just play padel tennis and spend time with my grandchildren," Klopp had said back then (via Sportstar).
Still, Klopp's credentials are unmatched, and he will be a great fit at Real Madrid, who are one of the biggest clubs in the world. He won the Bundesliga twice with Borussia Dortmund and finished as the runners-up of the Champions League once.
His biggest achievement in coaching was winning the 2018-19 Champions League as well as the 2019-20 Premier League with Liverpool. Since January 1, 2025, he has worked as the head of global football with Red Bull, but it is far from being the manager of a club.