Jurgen Klopp discloses Boris Becker ‘risk’ as Liverpool boss was banned from prison visits | Tennis | Sport

Jurgen Klopp has revealed that his attempts to visit Boris Becker in prison failed after he was banned and deemed a “security risk”. The retired tennis champion was released from HM Huntercombe last week and deported back to his home of Germany, and the Liverpool boss has now invited his long-time friend to a Liverpool game after they were stopped from seeing each other.

Becker was released from prison last week after serving eight months of his two-and-a-half year sentence under a fast-track scheme that sees foreign criminals released early and deported in an effort to relieve stress on British prisons. Following his release, the six-time Major champion gave a tell-all intervew on German TV station Sat.1 and revealed that Klopp was left unable to visit him in prison despite the two being good friends.

The Liverpool boss has now shared his version of events, revealing that it was deemed a “security risk” for him to visit the former world No 1 in HM Huntercombe Prison, leaving them only able to communicate via phonecalls. “Unfortunately I couldn’t visit him because according to the authorities I would have been a security risk if I visited,” the German football manager told Bild.

“That’s why it didn’t work. But that’s no longer important either – what matters is that Boris is free again.” Klopp also shared the contents of his phone calls with the three-time Wimbledon champion, explaining why it was important for him to keep supporting Becker during his time behind bars.

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Explaining why his chat with Becker made him want to visit the 55-year-old in prison, Klopp continued: “Johannes B. Kerner made contact with him in prison. We then spoke on the phone and I said to him, among other things, that he absolutely had to write a book.

“He then said: ‘Yes, but I think … that no one believes what it’s really like here.’ It was just particularly important to me to support Boris and to tell him that we won’t let him down.” The Liverpool manager is now hoping to see Becker at a game soon, though that could prove tough following reports that part of the German’s terms of release do not allow him to return to Britain for ten years.

“He should first get some rest. If Boris then wants to see a good football game, he’s welcome to do so in Liverpool. Although he tends to support other clubs,” Klopp added.

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