Liverpool gave departing manager Jurgen Klopp a fitting send-off with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Wolves, as the Anfield faithful bid an emotional farewell to their beloved boss after eight and a half years at the helm.
Klopp’s departure was marked by a mix of tears and celebration. The Kop brought back some old favourites to their songbook, honouring the now-departed greats of Klopp’s reign – Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, and Divock Origi.
Fittingly, two players symbolizing Liverpool’s future – Alexis Mac Allister, signed last summer, and 21-year-old centre-back Jarell Quansah – scored the goals after Nelson Semedo’s red card.
Following nearly nine years of stability, Liverpool now faces uncertainty, with much of the backroom staff leaving alongside Klopp and key players like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold entering the final year of their contracts. Incoming Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has a challenging task ahead but inherits a squad that, but for a brief slump in April, could have been in contention for the title.
Klopp leaves behind an impressive legacy, including seven major trophies and Liverpool’s longest unbeaten league run at home – three years and 272 days from 2017 to 2021.
“This is the season we aimed for the moon and ended up in the stars,” Klopp wrote in his program notes.
“This is a club that is ready to take the journey in a new and exciting direction, not one that is ready for the journey to come to an end.”
The match, mostly a celebration of Klopp’s tenure, saw the manager’s name sung throughout. The turning point came in the 28th minute when Semedo was sent off for an over-the-top challenge on Mac Allister, following a VAR review.
Klopp leaves with the highest win percentage (62%) of any Liverpool manager who led the team for more than 30 matches and is the first to win his final game since Matt McQueen in 1928. But beyond trophies and statistics, it’s the emotional journey and memories that fans will cherish.
The entire stadium, including owners John W Henry and Tom Werner, stood to applaud as Klopp’s name was chanted non-stop for the final 10 minutes of his tenure.
