Our Leader is at the edge of the field

at the beginning of the year, Liverpool's coach Jürgen Klopp puts a kind of confession: "I made some mistakes in my life, and one of the biggest was not to bring Sadio to Dortmund." The speech was from Sadio Mané, a footballer from the Department of Sédhiou, in the Casamance, a tropical mangrove forests dominated Region in Senegal. To his time as a Borussia coach Klopp can Mané 2014 to Dortmund. "We met in an office and talked to us. After that, I was not convinced, and that was really my fault," said Klopp. And added that he would like to thank the life, "to have a second Chance" – because now he is allowed to work with the striker Mané in Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Mané is 27, he came from Senegal, via Metz and France second League as well as Salzburg and Southampton in 2016 to Liverpool – and is now counted by many of the best players of the present.

What is the striker of the biggest European leagues has scored this season, more than 15 goals, and most of the Ball to show?
No idea.

you!
Honestly?

And you, who is the only player know, the more successful passes played than you?
no. No Idea.

Lionel Messi.
Oh, really? That's great!

now play at the Camp Nou against Barcelona. How is this game still the fulfillment of a dream that you had as a child in Bambali?
Bambali, Yes. This is a small place on the river Casamance. There I started to play football. On the road. And I have of course looked is always the Champions League . I was at the time – I know not whether I may say today is a big Barcelona Fan, because that's where my idols: Samuel Eto'o played’o, and especially Ronaldinho.

"I was once a big Barcelona Fan, because that's where my idols: Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho were playing."

One theory says that one learns in football, a lot about Imitation. You have to imagine that you have tried as a child, the former Brazilian world class player Ronaldinho to imitate?
I loved his Tricks. The joke he sprayed. And Yes, I tried to imitate him. As precisely as possible. He has inspired me a lot. I had so many Tricks that the trainers said to me at some point: "stop it! This is too much!" I was playful. So I started to try to solve me faster off the Ball. But I still love it to dribble.

is it True that you had to overcome many obstacles to become a footballer? It is here and there to read that your family has forbidden them literally, to play football.
It's not like that you liked in my family, the football, but in my family, hardly anyone has played. And the one that played football, were really bad.

you can't say the same for you definitely.
soccer is the Only thing that I could and liked. I have never wanted anything else as football, football, football. Until today. I think football is the only Job I can do.

In modern football, everything is mainly about concepts. To Match Plans. They are unpredictable, intuitive, imaginative, explosive. How difficult is it for you to have a match plan to submit to?
This is not difficult. I also realize that experience plays an increasingly important role. This makes it easier for the coaches to listen, to understand, what you want in the place of one. Roger Schmidt was basically the first Trainer that I have been working together for two and a half years in Salzburg. Previously, all had been others replaced always after three, four, six months.

And what is Jürgen Klopp demanded at Liverpool?
Klopp, I have a very special relationship. We are very close to us. You must be able to turn him extremely alert, physically ready, quickly. Otherwise? You simply have to be.

you have shot this season for Liverpool so far, 25 goals – more than ever. What has changed that you are in front of the gate now, more successful?
In Salzburg, we always played in the 4-4-2, with two strikers, because I was inevitably more on the outside line. In the case of Liverpool, we play in the 4-3-3, because I'm necessarily closer to the penalty area. Our way of playing has not really changed. I'm older and more Mature, it shows. We have received over the years, more and more quality, also it shows. Each individual player becomes stronger and this leads in my case, I shoot more goals.

playing for years on the biggest European stage and travel to Africa. For example, for the qualification to the Africa Cup, which is pending now. From the luxurious stadiums of Tottenham, Liverpool or Manchester to Madagascar, Sudan, Equatorial Guinea. How do you perceive the contrast?
There are in between worlds. In Madagascar, we had to play in 40 degrees. At two o'clock in the afternoon. On a lawn that was in such bad condition that our coach just said: "don't try to play football. It has no sense. Today, only long balls." I say this with all due respect, because in Madagascar, you have to put your best field. But it is difficult to come to terms with such realities. The organization is often not the best. In Madagascar, the stadium was crowded, there was in front of the gates of the Dead. Terrible.

"I believe that it teams and even a negative can be, if there is a player who leads."

your country expected to win the African championship, which takes place this summer in Egypt.
That we, ourselves, expect of us.

How Liverpool's game is organized on the square, who leads the command in the game against the Ball, the attacker will play an important role?
With us, every player takes in the game against the Ball itself. We have on the place is something like a common language. Everyone knows what he has to do when the Ball is lost, no matter where it happens. I think that it may be for teams or even negative, if there is a player that leads. Our Leader stands on the edge of the field.

There are hardly any attackers trio in Europe that blends in as well as the case of Liverpool, with Roberto Firmino, Mohammed Salah and you. What is the secret of this harmony?
We have Fun playing together. There is no secret. Except that Mo and Roberto is a great foot baller.

In the case of Barcelona playing Messi with two Ex-players from Liverpool, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho. There's a duel between the striker trio is now...
It would not be in order to reduce the. Barça is one of the best teams ever. It is an exciting, brutally challenging game. But I'm optimistic. We have nothing to lose.

Seriously? Liverpool was last year Champions League Finalist, you have a shot at the 1:3 in the Final against Real Madrid the goal and a Ball at the post hunted.
I was really proud and happy to be in the Final. It was a good experience for me and my team-mates. We have lost against maybe the best Team, against probably the best Club. We deserved it to be in the Final, and we lost.

is it True that the Liverpool Fans would rather win the English championship than the Champions League?
To a hundred percent. You've been waiting almost 30 years to the title. You can tell when talking with them.

What would you prefer?
As a footballer, we both want the title.

you have lost in this Premier League season so far, only once – and are still only Second, one point behind Manchester City, which has lost three times.
It is crazy. But the football is. I very much hope that we will be interception City. But you have to acknowledge: It is an extremely strong rival. If we should win the championship, we will be the happiest people in the world. And if not, life goes on. We had done everything, given everything.

(editing Tamedia)

Created: 30.04.2019, 21:52 PM