Bruno Fernandes is a player who most Liverpool fans love to hate, with the Manchester United captain well-versed in the art of wind-up merchantry.
However, one thing for which we can’t fault the 29-year-old is his glowing praise of Jurgen Klopp in a recent interview with Portuguese media.
Speaking about the Reds boss to A Bola, the playmaker said: “We are talking about a coach who is one of the ones I most appreciate, for the intensity he brings to games and the passion he has for football. I think what he did now is yet another demonstration of how much he loves football. He feels that, if he is not at his best, he is not giving his best to the game.
“I think a little like that too, in the same way as him, probably. He is a coach who changed the dynamics of Liverpool, who brought hope to the club.”
FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE
Fernandes added of Klopp: “He won big titles. He won the Premier League, the Champions League and some cups, but the biggest prize he will take away from these years will be the spark, the passion and the new dynamics he brought and which made Liverpool once again believe in being champion, in being able to fight for titles, in being among the best.
“That’s something that no-one will ever take away from Klopp. We are talking about another coach who really influences my passion for football.”
When previous United captains such as Roy Keane and Gary Neville praised Liverpool in the past, you got a sense that they were doing so through gritted teeth, so deep-rooted is the rivalry between the two clubs.
However, there is clearly a genuine admiration for Klopp in Fernandes’ comments, and we commend the Portuguese midfielder for publicly recognising the extraordinary impact that the 56-year-old has made at Anfield.
As the Red Devils skipper rightly points out, the German will leave a seismic legacy not just for the major trophies that he delivered, but also how he completely reinvigorated the fan base after years of drift under previous regimes.
That his influence extends not only to those who’ve played under him at Liverpool, but also the captain of our biggest rivals, truly shows just how profound an impact he’s had in English football.
Fernandes will probably be back to his wind-up antics when we go to Old Trafford in 16 days’ time, but credit to him here for his glowing verdict on Klopp.
More must-reads: