Sadio Mane insists Liverpool’s players “love” boss Jurgen Klopp as he reiterated the need for the club to stick to their manager to turn their season around.
Sadio Mane insists Jurgen Klopp will be able to turn around Liverpool’s fortunes and explained how the club’s players “love” him.
Mane joined Bayern Munich in a £35.1 million deal from the Reds last summer. The seasoned forward lifted the curtain on six trophy-laden seasons at Anfield after making it clear he wanted a new challenge.
The Senegalese star scored 120 goals for Liverpool in 269 appearances and amassed six major honors during his time at Klopp’s side, who have struggled to adapt to life without the striker – who has proved consistently outstanding at Anfield.
However, Mane is confident that the Reds and Klopp will be back to form very soon – and the pair are perfect for each other.
“Liverpool will be back,” Mane told German outlet Bild. “I’m sure they will overcome this situation. They have had a lot of injuries and a lot of testing, but Jurgen Klopp is definitely the right man. He will lead Liverpool back, starting this season – the players love him.”
Mutual respect and admiration between Mane and Klopp remains evident, even as the forward ends his Merseyside stint to join Bayern.
Reds boss Klopp said of Mane at Sky Germany earlier this season: “A good guy and a top player. But out of action I still want him here. I think it’s OK Sadio just wants to do something different.
“Of course. I really appreciate that. His path has been great. We knew that he would do something different without getting discouraged. It has to be possible in life.
“That’s exactly what happened. Did we miss him? Yes! But I’m also happy. That he’s where he wants to be. We’ll solve our problems here. Sadio is an extraordinary player. Everyone in Munich sees it too. He is absolutely world class. Everything will be fine.”
Klopp is under a long-term contract at Anfield and Mane’s message for the club to back their manager was recently echoed by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
“Liverpool is a unique football club in the way they deal with managers. I don’t think there are many clubs in the world like Liverpool,” Carragher told Mirror Football last month.
“When Liverpool are winning the manager is the star, it’s all about the manager, and I love that about our club because it always gives the manager a sense of power and there isn’t too much panic from within the club that the manager is leaving.”