London: Liverpool suffered an extraordinary setback ahead of their biggest Champions League game, with one of Jurgen Klopp’s most trusted lieutenants having stood down from his job.
Zeljko Buvac, Klopp’s long-time assistant, did not join the squad on their flight to Rome on Tuesday ahead of their second-leg semi-final, having been relieved of his coaching duties for the rest of the season.
Klopp and Buvac decided over the weekend to temporarily suspend their working relationship. Given Liverpool are preparing to protect a 5-2 lead against AS Roma, the timing of their split — whether temporary or permanent — is astonishing.
The pair have worked closely for 17 years at three different clubs. Now, on the verge of celebrating what would be one of their most notable achievements, should Liverpool reach the final, their professional relationship is in crisis.
Liverpool confirmed that the 56-year-old Bosnian will not be part of their staff for the two remaining Premier League games and the rest of the European campaign after growing tensions came to a head following Saturday’s goalless draw with Stoke City.
According to the Merseyside club, Buvac is taking time out of the first-team environment for “personal reasons”. There is no doubt, however, those reasons are work related.
The club left open the possibility of his return before the start of next season, although privately that has been conceded to be unlikely.
Liverpool’s players were shocked to be informed of the development at their Melwood training ground on Sunday.
Buvac takes much of the responsibility, along with Klopp, for overseeing training. Buvac’s sudden departure appears to have been agreed between him and Klopp for the good of the team.
The Bosnian has previously been an animated and influential figure. His nickname is ‘the brain’, which he earned as part of Klopp’s back-room team in Germany.
However, in recent months, it has been noted that all was not as it was. Buvac has seemed more distant and less communicative.
Liverpool have not moved to replace Buvac for tomorrow’s tie. The door has been left open for further discussion at the end of the campaign.
It remains to be seen how much the Merseyside club will feel Buvac’s departure. He started working alongside Klopp at the start of the Liverpool manager’s coaching career and Klopp has often spoken of working as part of a unit.
When he extended his Liverpool deal in the summer of 2016, he insisted Buvac and his other assistant, Peter Krawietz, be given the same six-year extension.
They worked as a team at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund before making the move to Anfield.
Tensions have surfaced recently as Klopp continues to evolve his backroom set-up. Buvac is not the first significant departure this season, although he is certainly the most high-profile and influential.
Klopp has already been planning for more change at the end of the season, especially in the physiotherapy department. In October, Andy Renshaw, the head of physiotherapy, left the club suddenly and there are ongoing discussions about who should replace him.
Zeljko is also the second member of the senior coaching staff to leave this year. In January, Pep Lijnders left his coaching role at Anfield to become head coach at NEC Nijmegen. The timing during mid-season was curious and Lijnders had previously been presented as a key figure behind the scenes.
— The Telegraph Group Ltd, London
