Jurgen Klopp reveals the present he received from Carlo Ancelotti

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp received a present from the Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti in the summer after the Reds won the 2019 Champions League trophy.

The gift from Ancelotti was a bottle of red wine, which included a congratulatory message in relation to Liverpool bringing home number six.

The Reds face Napoli at Anfield tonight in the Champions League only needing a win to secure progress to the knockout rounds.

Klopp wrote in his column in the official matchday programme, as quoted by Liverpoolfc.com: “Tonight is the third time we meet this season, although only the second in a competitive match. We played Napoli in Edinburgh pre-season and I think it’s fair to say they got the better of the game that day.

“However, my positive memory of the occasion in Scotland was the incredibly classy gesture from Carlo. He bought a very lovely bottle of red wine and wrote a touching congratulations message on it, for what we had achieved the season before.

“I was suitably embarrassed in the moment he gave it to me, to the point I was lost for words. People who know me well will tell you this is a very rare occurrence.

“Carlo is one of the all-time greats. His achievements as a player, coach and manager would take up the entirety of this programme if I was to list them. And achieved in different countries. Wow – so hard to do.

“I have a confession to make to Carlo and that is that I still haven’t drunk the wine. It takes pride of place at home. I’m sure one day I will, but for now the sentimental value of the gift means it remains unopened.

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MUNICH, GERMANY – JULY 31: Diego Simeone, head coach of Atletico Madrid (L-R), head coach Carlo Ancelotti of FC Bayern Muenchen, Juergen Klopp head coach of Liverpool and Maurizio Sarri head coach of S.S.C. Napoli pose with the Audi Cup Trophy during the Audi Cup 2017 Press Conference at Westin Grand Hotel on July 31, 2017 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images For AUDI)

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“However, as has been proved since, Carlo’s generosity of friendship never extends to when our sides face each other as competitors.

“They really punished us in Edinburgh, although I know there were other factors that contributed to our performance that day and it was a friendly. And then back in September they got the better of us in Italy in a superb football match.

“I hate losing as much as anyone, but on that day I could not hate our performance. I thought we acquitted ourselves really well. It was the sort of performance that under most circumstances and against most teams would be good enough to win.

“I have plenty of reference points when it comes to highlighting our opponent’s quality tonight. The games we played last season were probably the toughest I can remember, in Naples and Liverpool.

“The matches are so intense, physically and mentally. It’s a battle for body and mind when we play them.

“But I think it’s important to realise they respect us also. The game we won here last season, by a single goal, I think we absolutely deserved to. The games we lost over there, we could easily have got more from.

“So on the field it is a mutual respect for two clubs who really deserve to be considered among the best in Europe. As well as Carlo, I welcome the Napoli players, staff, officials and supporters to Anfield. I hope other than the 90-plus minutes on the pitch they enjoy their visit to this very special city and region.”

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Source: anfieldhq.com