Three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, who was recently released from prison, is good friends with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. However, Klopp was unable to visit Becker during his incarceration due to safety concerns.
The legendary tennis star was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison in April 2022 on four different charges of insolvency. He was released after eight months. In a recent interview with German TV, Becker revealed why compatriot Jurgen Klopp couldn’t visit him. He said (via talkSPORT):
“We are good friends and I gave his name to the authorities but then they came back and said that he couldn’t come as he was too famous and they were concerned for his safety.
“I was allowed two visits a month and I had to give these names to the authorities so they could be checked out but it is a very slow process. The first time Lilian [Becker’s girlfriend] came she said she was shocked at how I looked, although she only told me that later.”
Becker further spoke about life in prison. He said:
“Prison is all about survival, This is the detention centre for criminals from London. Murderers, child molesters. There was no mirror. Later I wondered what I looked like. I’m also shocked by how I’ve changed.
“I made the mistake of only taking black stuff with me. I wanted to look cool, to do a bit of a gangster. But the whole thing has something important and good for me learned. And some things happen for a good reason.”
He further said:
“You’re nobody in prison, You’re just a number. Mine was A2923EV. I wasn’t called Boris. I was a number. And they don’t give a f*** who you are.”
Jurgen Klopp’s assistant Pep Lijnders spoke ahead of Liverpool’s return to action
Liverpool will return to action when they take on Manchester City in the EFL Cup Round of 16 on December 22. Jurgen Klopp’s assistant Pep Lijnders spoke ahead of the game, saying:
“It’s new for us, a World Cup in the middle of the season. The quality [in the World Cup] was very good I think, it was a winner in my opinion. But it gave us a chance to refresh, not just refresh the players because everybody got some time off, the ones who played in the World Cup but also of course the ones who were not involved.”
Liverpool, who are sixth in the Premier League, will return to league action on December 26 away to Aston Villa.