‘It’s Great’—Jurgen Klopp Responds to Real Madrid Question at NBA Berlin Game
Jürgen Klopp laughed off a question about Real Madrid as he wondered whether any of Álvaro Arbeloa’s current stars would be watching the recent NBA Berlin game.
Klopp, Red Bull’s current head of global soccer, returned to Berlin on Thursday to watch the Orlando Magic’s 118–111 comeback victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the first of their two European meetings this month.
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Speaking to ESPN on the sidelines, Klopp insisted he did not watch the game as a former coach, but simply as a “basketball lover,” but that did not stop questions about his next move amid increasing speculation over a summer switch to Real Madrid.
“You know, they really love basketball at Real Madrid, as well,” the reporter highlighted.
After letting off a thunderous laugh in response, Klopp replied: “Yeah, it’s great. Maybe some of them watched the game tonight.”
Klopp Keeping His Distance From Real Madrid
Even with Arbeloa immediately replacing former boss Xabi Alonso as Madrid manager, Los Blancos have been tipped to look for a new leader at the end of the season—a stance which elimination from the Copa del Rey may well have influenced.
Klopp has been touted as Madrid’s top target, but the former Liverpool manager has consistently moved to cool the speculation without ever actually offering a firm response either way.
In a media appearance just hours after Alonso’s departure, Klopp insisted the news had nothing to do with him as he admitted things were “not quite right” at the Bernabéu this season.
Nevertheless, the speculation has persisted and German media have repeatedly claimed that Klopp would “seriously consider” an approach from Madrid if it arrived.
Madrid are understood to have committed to Arbeloa with a contract that runs beyond the end of the current season and so, as it stands, it is far from guaranteed that Los Blancos will look to hire Klopp or any other manager, but Arbeloa may need an immediate upturn in results to keep himself in the running.
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