Liverpool wasted no time preparing for the first friendly of the pre-season and traveling to Germany for the opening of a new stadium.
Jürgen Klopp likes to combine his doubles sessions with friendlies at the start of pre-season because “technique when you’re easily exhausted is a whole other thing”.
This means the players won’t be at 100%, but it’s where they combine their training camp with the action on the pitch.
Liverpool meet Karlsruher SC in the first of two friendlies in Germany, but who are they and why are the Reds playing them?
Why are the Reds playing Karlsruhe?
In recent years under Klopp, the manager has visited local English teams in the lower divisions to help them kick off their pre-season fixtures.
This didn’t happen last year and this time the Karlsruhe team represent a team outside the top flight, but in Germany.
The occasion not only marks Liverpool’s first pre-season test, but the Reds are also playing their part in the reopening of Karlsruhe’s converted home stadium, the Wildpark Stadium.
The German club have been playing locally since opening in 1955, but major renovations have taken place since 2018 and the Reds are part of the opening ceremony of their new image. A historic event requires an on-site historic team with a capacity of 35,000.
It’s something the two clubs have in common this summer, as Anfield take on a new look at their first home game of the season against Bournemouth following the expansion of Anfield Road End.
So who is Karlsruher?
Karlsruher SC is a German football club from Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. It currently competes in the 2.Bundesliga, the second tier of German football. They finished 20 points off promotion last season, in seventh place, meaning their stay outside the top division has been extended until their 14th season.
Their coach, Christian Eichner, played against Klopp’s Dortmund six times and tasted defeat each time.
Klopp’s record as manager in meetings with Karlsruhe is five wins, four draws and one loss – he also played against them as a player.
Karlsruhe’s fierce rivals are Klopp’s home club VfB Stuttgart, who have previously hosted the likes of Joachim Low, Slaven Bilic and Oliver Kahn.
Their player to watch is Fabian Schleusener, who scored 16 goals and made six last season. He will happily pray on Liverpool’s heavy legs. How can I watch?
Liverpool’s first pre-season meeting starts on Wednesday at 5.30pm (BST), 6.30pm local time.
You can watch the match live on LFCTV here or follow the This Is Anfield live blog. Henry Jackson will keep you entertained and up to date with all the action and no doubt plenty of substitutions.
