By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- 51-year-old Juergen Klopp looked happy when turning up for an interview. The spring-like temperature in the South of Spain seemed to be enhancing his good mood. Smart casual look, sneakers and smiling most of the time.
But specific topics seemed to be bothering the coach of Premier League runner-up Liverpool ahead of the last 16 tie against German champion Bayern Munich next Tuesday evening.
"This is not Klopp versus Bayern. It is about two strong teams meeting in an important competition," the German commented at a training camp in Marbella.
Most fans in Germany still regarded the most thrilling duel of the Champions League round as a private matter between Bayern and Klopp, who was the long-time coach of Bayern's closest national rival Borussia Dortmund after leading the Blacks and Yellows back to the top.
Dortmund's league titles won in 2011 and 2012 and the cup success in 2012 are still said to be one of the darkest hours in Bayern's history despite striking back by winning the 2013 Champions League final against Klopp's Dortmund.
He was on Bayern's short list in 2008 to take over as the new coach. Bayern president Uli Hoeness called, telling him "we have two options, an international one and national one, you are the national option." The Bavarians, however, later chose former German national coach and US resident Juergen Klinsmann. Klopp then joined struggling Dortmund, driving the side back to the top.
Hoeness admitted this week that he still admires Klopp as a football coach. It was a tough decision in 2008, the Bayern boss said, and Klopp remains an option for Bayern in the future, though for the time being "we want to beat him."
Klopp responded that, for logical reasons, Bayern is one of the world's best clubs.
His work in Liverpool since October 2015 has reminded many of his Dortmund achievements. "I'm happy here," he said. "Everyone is emotionally involved with the club and football, that is very much me."
Reports said he might, at some stage, extend his contract that runs to 2022.
"I haven't won anything, so that is part of the truth, we aren't thinking about 2022. It is a long way off," Klopp emphasizes.
"You either win a title and people say it is a perfect time to go or you don't win a thing and people say try again. It was fun until now."
He underlines how happy he is to see "the team's development" and that "people can see this is his team, playing brilliant football full of passion."
Greediness was rising when you haven't won a title yet, said the German coach.
He also mentioned that there was no favorite going into the encounter with Bayern.
"What amuses me most is that we're regarded as the big favorite. Very funny, I say. I see two top-quality teams with a lot of experience. Don't know who will be happy in the end," the Stuttgart-born former defender and striker commented.
Things are fine with Liverpool as long as all are enjoying the ride, he said, when talking about the club owners, the players, and the supporters and everyone around the club.
"We can try it and try it, but at the moment if one of those groups isn't happy, then we shouldn't overstrain it and say go ahead, try to do it," he said.
Confidence is high when it comes to his team. Having beaten Bournemouth 3-0 in the last league game made self-confidence return. "The way we played made us feel good," Klopp said after somewhat disappointing results.
Bayern was a hard nut to crack, he said with a smile running down his face. The crucial match against his old German rival was just the sort of battle Klopp loves. It is the perfect match for the title of his biography "Bring the noise" written by a German journalist living in the UK.
