Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 10y

Jurgen Klopp: Arsene Wenger is cool, but I don't love him

Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp praised Arsenal's business in the transfer market this summer but laughed off his previous remarks on Arsene Wenger and said: "I need to get off the drugs."

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Dortmund have once again been drawn against Arsenal in the Champions League group stage and the teams begin their campaigns at the Westfalenstadion on Tuesday night.

"The Champions League campaign is kicking off with a real bang," Klopp told a news conference. "We want to be as uncomfortable an opponent as possible, play according to our most natural virtues, take some tactical measures to keep the opposition at bay and bring our qualities to the game."

Last season, Dortmund claimed a 2-1 win at Emirates Stadium before Arsenal won 1-0 at the Westfalenstadion, with both teams ultimately progressing at the expense of Napoli.

BVB finished top of the group last time around, but Klopp believes a Gunners team now boasting Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck represents "a completely new side."

"Arsenal have done one of the best jobs [on the transfer market]," he added. "They now play with a lot of pace. We will be up against a quality team."

Klopp has spoken highly of the Arsenal boss in the past, saying last year: "He is really something. I love him. He is Sir -- Sir Arsene Wenger -- for me."

Asked at his news conference about his apparent comment last year that "two big coaching personalities" would meet, Klopp replied: "Did I really say that? I need to get off the drugs."

The journalist then clarified that Klopp had actually said he loved Wenger, to which the Dortmund coach responded: "I have said that I love Arsene Wenger? Well, I think he's cool, but 'love'? Arsene Wenger is a pleasant and intelligent colleague. I am a long way from comparing myself to such an extraordinary personality like him."

He then added, with a smile: "He speaks more languages than me. He drinks wine, and I drink beer."

Dortmund will be without a host of players, including Marco Reus, Mats Hummels, Nuri Sahin and Ilkay Gundogan, through injury for the match but Klopp hopes to have Shinji Kagawa and Milos Jojic available.

Both players are nursing minor problems following the 3-1 win against Freiburg at the weekend, and are set for a last test in the warm-up training session on Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski has laughed off claims from Dortmund's Kevin Grosskreutz that he will nutmeg his fellow Germany international at the Westfalenstadion.

Podolski joked in Bild: "It's up to the coach whether I play or not, but I can say one thing -- Kevin does not have the technique to nutmeg me. And if he did, it would only be coincidence."

He also aimed a jibe at Grosskreutz for an incident in which he allegedly threw a kebab at a Cologne fan before the World Cup, saying: "Furthermore, I promise to buy Kevin a doner in Cologne."

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