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JURGEN KLOPP vowed “never say never” when asked if he could return to management one day.
The former Liverpool boss, 58, has recently been linked with the Real Madrid job.
Klopp left Anfield in the summer of 2024 after revealing that he had run out of the energy required for such a big job.
The German has since taken up a new job as Global Header of Soccer at Red Bull.
In a recent interview, Klopp played down links with Real Madrid – but admitted that one day he could return to a dugout somewhere.
The former Premier League and Champions League winner told AFP: “I’m in a place, as a person, where I’m completely at peace with where I am. I don’t want to be somewhere else.
“I don’t get up and excited if Real Madrid are showing interest. If they would be — but it’s the media.
“Do I want to coach again? At the moment, I would say no, but I cannot say never, never, never.
“I don’t expect to change my mind, but I don’t know.”
Far from flirting with the vacant Real Madrid job, Klopp hinted that he is unimpressed by the Spanish club’s hire and fire culture.
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He added: “When I heard the news about Xabi Alonso, it was a bit of a mix. Yes, I was surprised. And no, I wasn’t surprised.
“I was like ‘what?’ And ‘yeah, of course’. I have no clue why it happened, but it’s always a specific case and not a general problem, because what they see now, Real Madrid, is that bringing in just the next one is not that easy.
“I would recommend if you sack a manager, you better have an idea who you want to succeed him.
“And it should be realistic. If they think they can get Pep Guardiola, I would say there’s not a big chance.”
Alonso was replaced by caretaker boss Alvaro Arbeloa after losing 3-2 to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Initially responding to the links last week, Klopp suggested that Alonso’s sacking shows that “something isn’t quite right” at Real Madrid.
He said: “First of all, I think it’s another sign that something isn’t quite right there at the moment.
“If Xabi Alonso, who over the last two years in Leverkusen has shown what an outstanding coaching talent he is – and I think at his age and with the number of jobs he’s had, you can say that — is then forced to leave Madrid just six months later, it shows a few things.
“On the one hand, it shows that nowadays there’s no time anymore. On the other, the expectations at Real Madrid are obviously enormous.
“To make a decision like that in the heat of the moment, after losing a cup final to Barcelona yesterday, says a lot. I think we’d already been hearing rumours for a while.
“And now – I don’t know if that’s where your question was going – but this has absolutely nothing to do with me, and it didn’t trigger anything for me either, which would probably have been the follow-up question.
“I was surprised, that’s true – genuinely surprised. Then a few people messaged me, and I replied with various emojis.”
Klopp enjoyed some down time last Thursday evening by attending the NBA Berlin Game between the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies.
He sat court side at the game alongside RB Leipzig star Johan Bakayoko.
