Klopp to take a break from coaching

Fresh from his final match as Borussia Dortmund coach, Jurgen Klopp confirmed Monday he will take an undetermined break from coaching, despite being linked to Real Madrid, Napoli and Liverpool.

After seven years as head coach, the 47-year-old had his last game in charge of Dortmund in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Wolfsburg in the German Cup final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium to deny him a fairytale farewell.

“After seven intensive and emotional years, I think it makes sense to process the countless memories, so that my coaching team and I can start our next job fresh and motivated,” said Klopp on Monday after a meeting with his agent Marc Kosicke.

But with no specification as to how long the break will last, Klopp is sure to end his self-imposed sabbatical as soon as the right job offer comes along.

Having led Dortmund to the 2013 Champions League final after winning the Bundesliga in 2011 and claiming the German league and cup double in 2012, Saturday’s defeat was Klopp’s last game before Thomas Tuchel takes over as head coach next season.

Media outlets have linked Klopp to Liverpool, where Brendan Rogers is under pressure after a poor season, Real Madrid, who sacked Carlos Ancelotti last week, and Napoli, whose current coach Rafael Benitez is set to take over at Real.