Beckenbauer backs future Klopp appointment for Bayern Munich

Former Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer hopes to see Jurgen Klopp managing at the Allianz Arena in the future.  

Klopp and Liverpool are taking on the German giants in a Champions League last-16 second leg clash on Wednesday, with the clubs entering the day level at 0-0 from the first leg.  

German manager Klopp has sparked a turnaround of fortunes for Liverpool since taking over in 2015, having led the Reds to the Champions League final last season and seen the club return as contenders for the Premier League crown.  

He also has a history in his home country, having won the Bundesliga title twice with Borussia Dortmund in back-to-back years before finishing second to Bayern the following two seasons.  

And Beckenbauer believes he would be well-suited to taking over Germany's biggest club.  

"Jurgen Klopp at FC Bayern. That would be the highlight," he said when asked about the possibility in a pre-match interview with Sky.  

The former defender also sees Klopp as the manager who brought more pace to the German game.  

"Jurgen was the one who taught the Germans how to play football quickly," he said.  

Klopp's Dortmund sides scored 80 or more goals in three of his seven Bundesliga seasons in charge, while his Liverpool side are known for their high pressing and attacking football.  

And Bayern find themselves in a fight for the Bundesliga title for the first time since Klopp left the country, though it is once again Dortmund who are pushing the Bavarians, with the clubs sitting level on 57 points at the top of the league table. 

A Sadio Mane goal put Liverpool ahead in Wednesday’s clash, though the Germans pulled level through a Joel Matip own goal.  

The two clubs are looking to join the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Porto, Juventus and Ajax in the quarter-finals of this year’s competition, with Barcelona and Lyon contesting the other last-16 tie on Wednesday.  

Following the clash with Liverpool, Bayern return to action on Sunday with a league showdown against Mainz, while Liverpool face Fulham in a Sunday Premier League match.