LEIPZIG - RB Leipzig head coach Marco Rose expressed excitement about reuniting with former Mainz teammate Jurgen Klopp.Klopp will begin a role as head of Red Bull's global soccer operations in January. His former club, Liverpool, are in Saxony to face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, but he's not expected to attend the match.The conversation ahead of the game has largely focused on Klopp's upcoming job at RB Leipzig, and Rose provided a glowing review of his experiences alongside the former defender during Tuesday's press conference. Rose also played under Klopp at Mainz."He always brought energy to our team as a player," Rose said. "We had situations at Mainz when we felt helpless, but Kloppo gave us the feeling that we wanted to play again the next day."He added: "We didn't always (have) the same opinion. But I learned a lot from him, and he is a great person, and I am very much looking forward to working together with him."Klopp spent 18 years with Mainz as a player and manager, but some fans have criticized his decision to accept a job overseeing the football wing of energy drink giant Red Bull's sporting ventures."Have you forgotten everything we gave you?" asked one banner unveiled by Mainz fans during the club's 2-0 Bundesliga defeat to Leipzig this past weekend.Mainz earned promotion to the Bundesliga in 2004 with Klopp at the helm. He subsequently won two Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal over a seven-year spell with Borussia Dortmund before clinching a Champions League title, Premier League crown, FA Cup, two League Cups, and the Club World Cup with Liverpool.
Daniel Rouse is a senior editor at theScore, with a background in sports journalism. He has written for publications such as The Telegraph, Sportsnet, and Sheffield Star, covering a range of sports topics. Daniel's articles focus on providing thoughts, analysis, and updates on various sports events and news.