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| Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp empathises with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho |
IT has been a long time since a Liverpool manager could empathise with what Jose Mourinho is going through.
When Jurgen Klopp did so, it spoke volumes that the conversation focused on pressure not prizes.
While his thoughts were primarily focused on today's trip to a "wounded" Chelsea, Klopp found himself recalling the unprecedented slump he endured at Borussia Dortmund last season which left him firmly in the spotlight.
The downturn ran into the New Year as Klopp, beset by injuries and without his best player following the sale of Robert Lewandowski, won just four of his first 19 league games.
For a club that reached the Champions League final 18 months earlier, overcoming Mourinho's Real Madrid en route, and had grown accustomed to challenging Bayern Munich, the sight of Dortmund entrenched in the relegation zone was alien.
Klopp knows he can compound the problems for Mourinho's beleaguered champions at Stamford Bridge but sought to apply some perspective to the storm that has engulfed his rival.
"Mourinho isn't a worse coach than last year, the players aren't worse than last year, that's for sure," said Klopp, who revealed he exchanged text messages with Mourinho when they were managing in Germany and Spain respectively.
"Things happen. I'm not too interested in his situation but I see it. I feel for him because I had something similar but it's not the end of the world. They can still play football and that's our problem.
"I feel better when we win. Life is better of course. But I don't think that in my life the sun always has to shine. It's normal that we have to work for what we want.
"To be at Dortmund and in January to be in 18th position, was not the best thing. There was nothing to laugh about. But it's work. And if it's work, you can rule it. It's not war."
Dortmund recovered to finish seventh, qualifying for the Europa League, and lost the German Cup Final to Wolfsburg.
"I didn't think too much about it," said Klopp. "I wasn't interested in what was being said in public.
"I had a responsibility to the Dortmund supporters and players. If people didn't understand our problems, then I didn't care.
"You have to rule your own situation. Most of the problems are in the press conferences when you have to find the answers.
"Sometimes you don't the time to change things between matches. That's the only problem.
"It's difficult to compare because they are very different situations. We had so many injuries. We didn't have a proper pre-season because of the World Cup.
"That was our problem, I don't know about the problems of Chelsea.
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| Chelsea boss Mourinho is experiencing a tough time at Stamford Bridge |
"They play their style. Last year there was always (Gary) Cahill there to make the block. Small things can make a big difference. That's the big challenge for them at the moment."
The task confronting Klopp is claiming a first league win since succeeding Brendan Rodgers.
While Christian Benteke has rejoined training after missing the Capital One Cup victory over Bournemouth, there is no guarantee he will start with Roberto Firmino a possible alternative.
"I am not sure it is easier to play Chelsea now than last year," said Klopp. "Ok, being full of self-confidence maybe some things are different, but to be wounded can make you stronger too."
Liverpool are about to find out whether Chelsea's demise has been exaggerated.
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