Jurgen Klopp says 'football is the only thing more inspiring than cinema' – and reveals he missed Trent's cheeky corner in heroic Barcelona win

Posted Wednesday, September 25, 2019 by Thesun.co.uk

JURGEN KLOPP has revealed he channels his inner Rocky Balboa when giving speeches to his players and claims "football is the only thing more inspiring than cinema".

The maverick German also revealed he missed Trent Alexander-Arnold's wonder corner during Liverpool's heroic Champions League comeback over Barcelona.

Jurgen Klopp says 'football is the only thing more inspiring than cinema' – and reveals he missed Trent's cheeky corner in heroic Barcelona win
Jurgen Klopp compared Liverpool's victory over Barcelona to Rocky Balboa's victory over Ivan Drago

The 52-year-old scooped the coach of the year gong at the FIFA Best awards last night but never forgets his humble beginnings.

Speaking to the Players Tribune, Klopp revealed his days working in a warehouse where they stored movie reels - shortly after becoming a young father - gave him the grounding and inspiration for the work he is doing now.

He said: "When I was 20, I experienced the moment that completely changed my life.

"I was still a kid myself, but I had also just become a father. It was not perfect timing, let's be honest.

"I was playing amateur football and going to university during the day. To pay for school, I was working in a warehouse where they stored movies for the cinema.

"And for the young people out there, we are not talking about DVDs. This was the late '80s, when everything was still on film.

"The trucks would come at 6am to pick up the new movies, and we would load and unload those huge metal canisters. They were quite heavy, honestly.

"You would be praying that they weren't showing something with four reels, like Ben-Hur or something.

"That was going to be a bad day for you."

And this early exposure to film stayed with Klopp on his journey through management.

Having impressed with Mainz, he then went on to use Sylvester Stallone's Italian Stallion as inspiration during his time with Borussia Dortmund.

While he admired the passion and work ethic taught by the iconic film series, Klopp admitted most of his young Dortmund squad were too young to have seen the movies when he showed clips of Rocky IV before a crunch game against Bayern Munich.

But that didn't stop Klopp going full Mickey Goldmill before Liverpool's legendary Champions League comeback against Barcelona last season.

Describing his team talk before the game, Klopp said: "Mostly, I talked about tactics.

"But I also told them the truth. I said, 'We have to play without two of the best strikers in the world.

"The world outside is saying it is not possible. And let's be honest, it's probably impossible.

"But because it's you? Because it's you, we have a chance.

"If we fail, then let's fail in the most beautiful way."

What transpired was a game that will be etched in the memory of football fans for years to come but Klopp had to rely on replays to see Alexander-Arnold's cheeky corner that saw Divock Origi nick the winner.

The German had turned to his assistant to discuss a sub when the England right-back sprung the surprise set-piece and had only the noise of the crowd to tell him Liverpool had completed the stunning comeback.

But in typically philosophical fashion, Klopp said: "Unfortunately, the most incredible moment in the history of the Champions League... I didn't actually see it.

"Maybe this is a good metaphor for the life of a football manager, I don't know.

"But I completely missed Trent Alexander-Arnold's moment of pure genius."