By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Former Liverpool stars Markus Babbel and Dietmar Hamann are not the only ones in Germany keeping their fingers crossed for coach Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team ahead of the 2019 Champions League final.
As the Reds meet Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur this Saturday evening in the Spanish capital Madrid, Klopp's entire home country seems transfixed by the 51-year-old's performance this season.
Millions of fans are said to be turning on their televisions or gathering in sports bars to watch the former Dortmund manager's latest attempt to win a major continental trophy, after losing the 2016 Europa League 3-1 to Sevilla and last year's Champions League final 3-1 to Real Madrid. Klopp's Borussia Dortmund side also lost the 2013 Champions League final 2-1 to Bayern Munich.
Reports from the coach's home village of Glatten, in the Black Forest, spoke of empty streets and crowded pubs this weekend. Dozens of Klopp's old friends and acquaintances are said to be traveling to the Wanda Metropolitano to support the village's most famous son.
45-year-old Hamann, who played for Liverpool from 1999 to 2006, praised Klopp's influence on the club. "If you see that top stars prefer to join Liverpool instead of other top European sides, that entirely his achievement. To be honest, I think that is much more valuable than silverware," the former midfielder said.
"All of my prayers go to Jurgen Klopp," former Liverpool defender and current Sydney Wanderers coach Babbel commented. "Please, just win this final to stop this trash talk that he can't win finals. Just consider the teams he managed to lead into finals. His performance is outstanding. He is doing an incredibly great job."
Former Dortmund defender Neven Subotic, who played under Klopp for seven years, praised his former coach as "the world's best", noting that his teams tend to be greater than the sum of their parts, and praising the positive atmosphere Klopp invariably generates.
"Who thought Liverpool would defeat Barcelona after a 3-0 loss [in the Champions League semifinal first leg]? He did, and he told his players so, and they followed him," the former Serbian international commented.
