Jurgen Klopp has vowed to stay at Liverpool for another three years, despite their historically bad form and the prospect of becoming Germany manager.
Liverpool have lost six consecutive home league games for the first time ever and have only taken three points from the last 21, suffering eight defeats as they have gone from top to eighth in a disastrous 2021.
But while Joachim Low has announced he will stand down as Germany's manager after the delayed Euro 2020, Klopp has ruled himself out of the reckoning to succeed him.
“If the question you are asking is whether I am available, the answer is no,” he said. “This summer or after this summer, I will not be available as a potential coach of the German team.”
Klopp retains the support of Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, has a deal at Anfield until 2024 and prides himself on not breaking contracts.
And he added: “I have three years left at Liverpool. It is a simple situation; you sign a contract and you try and stick to that contract. I had a contract at Mainz and stuck with them even though there was interest from other Bundesliga teams with more money. It is just timing. If it doesn’t work out, I don’t lose any sleep.”
Klopp believes Liverpool’s current plight is tougher even than the time he experienced in his final season with Borussia Dortmund, when they dropped into the relegation zone before eventually finishing seventh.
“Dortmund we were 17th or 18th in the league, which was horrible, but I think it is more challenging here now,” he said.
But he feels Wednesday's tie against Leipzig offers a better chance as it is a different competition. Liverpool boast a 2-0 first-leg lead as they look to book a quarter-final place. He said: "We have momentum in the Champions League."
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RB Leipzig 0 Liverpool 2: player ratings
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Midfielder Gini Wijnaldum thinks Liverpool can save their campaign in Europe but reckons they will have to repeat 2019's final win to get credit for that.
He said: “The Champions League can rescue the season but a lot of people say it is only rescued if you win the Champions League and everyone knows how difficult that is.”
The Dutch international admitted their results have been “really shocking” to the players and accepted that Liverpool have had their belief in each other dented by a series of setbacks.
“There is confidence in the team and in each other but it is less than we are used to because of the situation,” he said. “We were used to winning games and winning trophies and now it is totally the opposite.”
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the last time Liverpool played in a full stadium and Wijnaldum is convinced they would be doing better if their supporters were in the stands, but said that is no excuse.
“I believe the things that happen to us right now would not happen with fans in the stadium,” he explained. “But I think we can do better even without the fans. When we analyse the games, it makes us more angry because we can do so much better than we do.”
Wijnaldum could leave Liverpool in the summer. He is a target for Barcelona, is yet to sign a new deal and could go on a free transfer and admitted there is “no news” about one, but said it would be wrench go to.
“The only thing I can say is that I am really happy at the club, with the team, with the fans,” he said. “If that happens you will leave a team you really love. I would be devastated if I didn’t have to play with this team anymore.”
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
LAST-16 FIXTURES
Sunday, January 20
3pm: Jordan v Vietnam at Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
6pm: Thailand v China at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: Iran v Oman at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Monday, January 21
3pm: Japan v Saudi Arabia at Sharjah Stadium
6pm: Australia v Uzbekistan at Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
9pm: UAE v Kyrgyzstan at Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tuesday, January 22
5pm: South Korea v Bahrain at Rashid Stadium, Dubai
8pm: Qatar v Iraq at Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Batti Gul Meter Chalu
Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
