Jurgen Klopp’s return to former club Mainz did not go to plan as his Liverpool side were thumped 4-0. Having beaten Barcelona the previous day, the Merseysiders suffered the
same fate as a much-changed team finished on the losing side to the
Bundesliga club
Daniel Brosinski, Jhon Cordoba, Yunus Malli and Yoshinori Muto got the goals as the Bundesliga outfit ran out deserved winners against the weakened visitors, who made nine changes after playing Barcelona at Wembley a day earlier winning with same score line.
A frustrating day also saw Klopp concerned by an ankle knock for Marko Grujic, who picked up his second injury of pre-season in the first half.
In the clubs’ previous meeting, 10 years earlier, Mainz, then managed by Klopp, had humiliated Rafael Benitez’s FA Cup winners 5-0, and the pattern of play here quickly suggested a repeat was not out of the question.
With a late Danny Ings consolation disallowed, Klopp’s men must now look ahead to their Premier League opener at Arsenal next weekend.