In the midst of yellow and black gloom, Jürgen Klopp took the microphone around 2am early Sunday morning. “Here and today is my hardest moment,” said the departing Borussia Dortmund manager with tears in his eyes in a moving final speech in front of several hundred guests at Berlin’s “Kraftwerk.”
No one was really expected to celebrate following their 3-1 defeat to Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg in the 72nd DFB Cup Final in Berlin, BVB’s third consecutive loss in a final following defeat in last year’s competition and the 2013 Champions League Final, both against FC Bayern München.
Cup victory farewell “would have been too cheesy”
“I can’t describe what’s going through my head at the moment,” said the 47-year-old with growing awareness of his final farewell following seven defining years at BVB. “Someone said to me: To bow out with a cup victory, would have been too cheesy. That’s the American style.
However, Klopp tried to find the right words. As he took his boys in his arms “one after the other” after the 3-1 loss to Wolfsburg, the manager reported, “it was a farewell, it was tough.” And he explained with ample melancholy in his eyes: “As it’s hard for me to let go. The pain of leaving comes gradually and it hurts so much.”
BVB have now reached their third final under Klopp in the last three years, one in the Champions League and two in the DFB Cup, all defeated. BVB players were unable to deliver a goodbye gift for their coach, who has led them to two German Championships (2011, 2012) and a cup success (2012) since taking the reins at Dortmund in 2008.
Final whistle after 319 competitive matches
The 319th and final competitive match on the BVB bench was a reflection of most his side’s performances this season though, during which Klopp finally realised he was no longer the right man to take the club forward. BVB were unable to capitalise on an early lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after just five minutes. Dortmund played their brand of full-throttle football for just 20 minutes thereafter, a playing style that had shaped Klopp.
In the midst of yellow and black gloom, Jürgen Klopp took the microphone around 2am early Sunday morning. “Here and today is my hardest moment,” said the departing Borussia Dortmund manager with tears in his eyes in a moving final speech in front of several hundred guests at Berlin’s “Kraftwerk.”
No one was really expected to celebrate following their 3-1 defeat to Bundesliga runners-up VfL Wolfsburg in the 72nd DFB Cup Final in Berlin, BVB’s third consecutive loss in a final following defeat in last year’s competition and the 2013 Champions League Final, both against FC Bayern München.
Cup victory farewell “would have been too cheesy”
“I can’t describe what’s going through my head at the moment,” said the 47-year-old with growing awareness of his final farewell following seven defining years at BVB. “Someone said to me: To bow out with a cup victory, would have been too cheesy. That’s the American style.
However, Klopp tried to find the right words. As he took his boys in his arms “one after the other” after the 3-1 loss to Wolfsburg, the manager reported, “it was a farewell, it was tough.” And he explained with ample melancholy in his eyes: “As it’s hard for me to let go. The pain of leaving comes gradually and it hurts so much.”
BVB have now reached their third final under Klopp in the last three years, one in the Champions League and two in the DFB Cup, all defeated. BVB players were unable to deliver a goodbye gift for their coach, who has led them to two German Championships (2011, 2012) and a cup success (2012) since taking the reins at Dortmund in 2008.
Final whistle after 319 competitive matches
The 319th and final competitive match on the BVB bench was a reflection of most his side’s performances this season though, during which Klopp finally realised he was no longer the right man to take the club forward. BVB were unable to capitalise on an early lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after just five minutes. Dortmund played their brand of full-throttle football for just 20 minutes thereafter, a playing style that had shaped Klopp.
A series of mistakes and blackouts and failure to take chances led to Wolfsburg turning the game and helping them to their first cup triumph. At least, he didn’t set the bar too high and would like to have saved his lads and his successor Thomas Tuchel from going through the qualifying rounds of the Europa League with victory in the final, stated Klopp in his final press conference for Dortmund.
No title in Kehl and Gündogan’s final games
“I clutched onto straws thinking I could still win another title after this season,” said Sebastian Kehl, who will call time on his playing career following the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. “We were unable to make it 2-0, and the game would have course gone different,” said Germany international Ilkay Gündogan after his final game and ahead of his upcoming transfer. He did not want to disclose yet where he would end up.
“It’s bitter to end his career with a defeat like this,” Kehl bemoaned and resonated with Klopp. Both were sufficiently thanked at the party, with the departing coach’s gifts including three season tickets for his family among others.
He will be thankful to BVB to take so many experiences and emotions with him – regardless of where in the world his next journey will take him. “It’s not important what one thinks when you come, it’s extremely important though what people think of you when you depart,” stated Klopp and shouted to the frustrated fans in Berlin a final message: “We’ll meet again!”
