ONE TOUCH SUMMARY
- Florian Wirtz has struggled to replicate his Bayer Leverkusen form since his £116m move to Liverpool last summer.
- Klopp defended Wirtz, saying his arrival coincided with a tough period after Diogo Jota's death.
- Wirtz earned an early Germany call‑up after Havertz and Musiala injuries, with Klopp urging him to be himself.
ONE TOUCH INSIGHT
Klopp’s defence of Wirtz misses the point — Liverpool’s struggles are not about context, they are about fit. The £116 million signing was brought in to unlock a stagnant attack, yet he has not replicated the creativity that made him Leverkusen’s engine. Playing deeper in a midfield three, he lacks the space to turn and drive, and his numbers show it: zero assists in open play this season, a sharp drop from his Bundesliga output. Klopp can cite Jota’s death and squad unrest all he wants, but the player simply does not thrive in Liverpool’s current shape.
The Germany call-up offers a chance to reset, but only if Klopp uses him as he did at Bayer — as a number ten in a fluid 4-2-3-1, not as a box-to-workhorse. Havertz and Musiala’s absence may force that hand against Greece, giving Wirtz the licence to roam between lines. If he starts and influences the game, it will prove Klopp still sees him as a creator, not a squad filler.
The one to watch is whether Klopp starts Wirtz against Greece and deploys him in advanced midfield.
WHY IT MATTERS
Klopp’s public backing of Wirtz highlights how managerial trust can aid a struggling star’s recovery, while his early Germany call‑up shows the player’s value remains recognized despite club form concerns.
TACTICAL FIT
Klopp intends to integrate Wirtz as a creative hub in Liverpool’s midfield, relying on his vision to unlock defenses once the squad regains the cohesion and pressing intensity that suited his Leverkusen style.
THE DEBATE
Should Liverpool patience with Wirtz outweigh the need for immediate results?
Multiple Authors
Sep 26, 2026, 07:54 PM ET
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Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp has defended under-fire Florian Wirtz's Liverpool performances and hopes the playmaker "can be himself" with the national team.
The £116 million ($154 million) signing has struggled to rediscover his Bayer Leverkusen form since moving to Anfield last summer, but Klopp said there were understandable reasons for that which had not fully been taken into consideration.
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"When you look at the full context, you will find that Florian joined Liverpool at an absolutely unfavourable time related to the death of Diogo Jota," Klopp told a news conference. "He joined a team whose players' priority at that time was not football, which is very understandable.
"He learned a lot from his first year. Now there is a new season under the leadership of a new coach.
"He is delivering a very good level physically, and the team has begun to regain its cohesion once again.
"Attacking players always need a team that works well around them. And anyone who loves football can still see how outstanding Florian Wirtz is as a player."
Klopp has had to change his plans for Wirtz, who was scheduled to feature only in Germany's third and fourth matches of the international break against Serbia and Greece.
Liverpool attacker Florian Wirtz is expected to get his first game time under Germany coach Jürgen Klopp against Greece Sunday.Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
However, injuries to Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala in the 1-1 draw with Netherlands brought forward the midfielder's call-up to Friday and although he will not start on Sunday he will be in the squad.
"We need to make sure Flo feels comfortable here and can fit into the role we envision for him. Hopefully, he'll simply be able to be himself here," added Klopp.
Bayern Munich's Jonathan Tah, Wirtz's former teammate at Leverkusen, was even more outspoken.
"I find it pretty extreme the way he's been attacked," he said. "I know the kind of player he is and that he's going to shine even more. I know what he's capable of and eventually, everyone will understand."
Tah also praised Klopp's instant impact in the dressing room.
"It's the experience he brings from every club, that mix of fun and passion, that absolute will to win, and also the way he brings the team along. He can really fire us up," Tah said. "I think after our initial meeting, everyone walked out thinking, 'OK, we're ready to walk through fire together now.'
"He just has this ability to galvanise a team. We've seen that in the past. That's something he does exceptionally well and I think that's why he's been so successful."
AI-assisted · generated from ESPN FC reporting, not editor reviewed
