‘Oh my God’ – Jurgen Klopp praises seven players after Liverpool friendly win
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reacts to 4-2 win in first pre-season friendly against Karlsruher SC
Jurgen Klopp believes Liverpool’s next generation grasped their opportunity as the Reds began their pre-season programme in winning fashion.
An injury-time brace from Diogo Jota followed earlier strikes from Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo in a 4-2 win at German second tier side Karlsruher SC on Wednesday evening.
Klopp handed starts to Academy graduates right-back Conor Bradley and midfielder Bobby Clark, before a second-half team included centre-back Jarell Quansah, left-back Calum Scanlon, midfielder James McConnell, winger Ben Doak and later striker Lewis Koumas.
And the Reds boss was enthused by their showing, which came in front of a raucous 34,000 crowd on the official opening of Karlsruher’s redeveloped BBBank Wildpark stadium.
“We saw the kids how good they were,” said Klopp. “James (McConnell) never played a six before and today he played there and it was so nice to watch, to be honest. Bobby (Clark) first half did really well.
“Ben Doak, oh my God, it’s much fun to watch these kids. Calum (Scanlon) I’ve known him only nine days, he was injured before and now he was there. (Lewis) Koumas came on, Conor Bradley really good.
“The kids are really good and the others are really good already, we know that. Some of them might need to get through little holes here and then now because it’s really tough for them of course.”
Nunez had opened the scoring early on before Karlsruher scored either side of half-time through blistering strikes by Lars Stindl and Sebastian Jung.
And Klopp added: “We could have lost this game because the two goals they (Karlsruher SC) scored were the most beautiful ones, wow. They were difficult to defend, I would say. Our organisation in the box was really good, around the box not that much I could say, but you still have to hit the ball like they did (for the first goal). It was a special one.
“But (the performance) is absolutely okay for the moment.”
Along with Jordan Henderson, who is closing on a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, Alisson Becker was a notable absentee after missing the game as a precaution.
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