Ex-Liverpool coach EMBARRASSED on Champions League debut

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Anfield Watch

·18. September 2024

Ex-Liverpool coach EMBARRASSED on Champions League debut

A former Liverpool coach has been embarrassed 3-0 on his Champions League debut as a manager tonight.

Jurgen Klopp’s assistant-coach Pep Lijnders left the club at the same time as the German manager and took over the job as head coach at Red Bull Salzburg. The Dutchman was a vital figure in the Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield, playing a key role in Liverpool’s Champions League win in 2019.

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Lijnders’ start to life in Austria

He was enjoying a good start to life as a manager, and whilst he currently sits fifth in the Austrian league, if his team wins either of their games in hand they will go to the top of the table.

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However, in his maiden Champions League fixture as a manager, his side were defeated convincingly 3-0, with goals from Kaan Kairinen, Victor Olatunji and Qazim Laci. Salzburg’s midfield three contained summer signing from Liverpool Bobby Clark, as well as Stefan Bajčetić, who is currently on loan for the season from the Reds, but neither were particularly impressive on a night to forget.

Sparta’s revenge

Tonight Sparta Praha may have been 3-0 victors, but this was not the case when they came up against Liverpool in Europe last season, a side assistant-managed by Lijnders.

The Czech side faced Liverpool in the Europa League round of 16, but were embarrassingly beaten 11-2 on aggregate, with Bobby Clark on the scoresheet for the Reds in that fixture. Although they will not face Liverpool in this season’s restructured group stage, they will see tonight’s result as some form of revenge for the embarrassment they faced in that match.

Some may have been surprised by the result, but Sparta have started the season very well, and are currently only second in the league to city rivals Slavia Praha on goal difference.