Gundogan has recalled an intense row he had with Klopp during their time together at Borussia Dortmund.
Ilkay Gundogan has revealed a row he once had with Jurgen Klopp that ended with his old manager seething.
The Manchester City midfielder played under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund between 2011 and 2015. He made 117 appearances under the now-Liverpool boss, supplying 12 goals and 13 assists.
But while the pair had a good relationship in Germany, it wasn’t always so rosy.
There was even a time Gundogan felt the full force of Klopp’s wrath in 2012/13 after refusing to miss training because of a hamstring problem.
“I once managed to make Jurgen Klopp angry. Like, really angry,” Gundogan told the Players’ Tribune.
“It was in my second season at Dortmund. We were trailing in the Bundesliga, but we had a shot at the Champions League.
“The staff had this rule that if you felt bad before a training session, you had to report it to the team doctor. That way we would avoid injuries, and Jurgen would know that you might not be able to train.
“So one morning I woke up and felt my hamstring a bit. Did I have a muscle problem, or was I just tired? I couldn’t tell. I probably should have texted the doctor. But I thought, ‘It’s probably gonna be alright’.
“Like always, I came to the training ground an hour before the session started. And just to be sure, I asked the doctor to take a look at my hamstring.”
Gundogan added: “Jurgen came in and he was not happy.
“I was trying to find a way out of it, even though I knew I was wrong. Jurgen kept saying that we couldn’t take any risks. I kept saying that I could train.
“And then he snapped. You know when he gets these intense eyes and grits his teeth?
“He gave me that look and shouted, ‘DO WHATEVER THE F*** YOU WANT TO DO!’ Then he slammed the door behind him.”
My story. Here it is. @PlayersTribune @TPTFootball https://t.co/QIpTjtDo3c
— Ilkay Gündogan (@IlkayGuendogan) April 26, 2021
‘Jurgen taught me a lesson that day’
A short while after Klopp’s outburst, the German placed an arm around his compatriot and taught him a valuable life lesson.
“About half an hour later, I put my boots on and walked on to the pitch. Jurgen came up next to me,” continued Gundogan.
“I was expecting a lecture, but he put his arm around me.
“He said, ‘My friend, do you know why I was so angry? I just care about you. And I don’t want you to get injured.’ Then he gave me a big hug.
“I was shocked. We had had this fight, and now he was talking to me the way a father might talk to his son.
“Jurgen taught me a lesson that day: Always try to be honest. Both with others and yourself.”
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