Christian Benteke has opened up on his short-lived spell at Liverpool, admitting that he felt pushed aside under Jürgen Klopp and didn’t want to remain at Anfield as a “loser.”
The Belgian striker arrived from Aston Villa in the summer of 2015 for £32.5 million, brought in by Brendan Rodgers after an impressive run of 49 goals in three seasons at Villa Park. But just a few months into Benteke’s Reds career, Rodgers was dismissed and Klopp was appointed.
That change proved costly for the forward. Klopp preferred the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi in attack, leaving Benteke struggling for minutes despite being Liverpool’s second-most expensive signing at the time.
Reflecting on that period, Benteke revealed he felt frozen out:
> “When Klopp arrived, I wasn’t one of his main options. The way he wanted to play maybe didn’t suit me. I didn’t complain, but of course I wanted to feature. You can’t just accept being stuck in that position and become a loser, so I looked for a solution. I found happiness again at Crystal Palace.”
Crystal Palace secured his services in 2016 for £27m, where he spent six seasons, scoring 37 goals before moving to MLS side DC United, where he continues to find the net regularly.
Interestingly, Benteke recalled how confusing the situation was, since Klopp had once wanted him at Borussia Dortmund. “When your coach tells you he wanted to sign you before, and then later ignores you at Liverpool, it’s hard to make sense of,” he admitted.
Now 34, Benteke remains reflective about his time at Anfield, admitting it was frustrating but also a learning curve. And with Liverpool set to face Palace this weekend—both sides unbeaten after five games—his past link to the fixture adds an extra layer of intrigue.
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