Match previewMeet the opposition: Karlsruher SC
Liverpool will play two friendlies during their training camp in Germany, with a fixture against Karlsruher SC first up on Wednesday afternoon.
Jürgen Klopp’s side take on the 2. Bundesliga team at BBBank Wildpark in a match that kicks off at 5.30pm BST and will be live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO.
Here, we take a closer look at the opposition...
Karlsruher finished seventh in the second tier of German football last season, under the leadership of 40-year-old Christian Eichner. He also represented the club as a player and this is his first managerial role.
Fabian Schleusener top-scored with 16 goals in all competitions in 2022-23, though midfielder Marvin Wanitzek hit double figures for both goals and assists, so could be the man to watch.
The club last played in the top division in 2008-09, while they were champions in 1909 and won the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in 1955 and 1956.
Karlsruher’s best season in modern times occurred in 1996-97. They won the UEFA Intertoto Cup to secure entry into the UEFA Cup, in which they would then knock out AS Roma before going out themselves in the third round.
KSC also finished sixth in the Bundesliga that season, their joint-best performance in this era of German league football.
Their top scorer in 1996-97 provides the one prior link between themselves and Liverpool. Striker Sean Dundee netted 24 goals in all competitions for Karlsruher that season and then signed for the Reds at the end of the following campaign.
Other notable players from the club’s past include Slaven Bilic, Oliver Kahn and current Internazionale midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu. World Cup-winning coach Joachim Low both played for and managed Karlsruher earlier in his career too.
While the Reds have never previously faced Karlsruher, Klopp has done so as both a player and manager. His last league encounter with them saw future Reds midfielder Nuri Sahin pick up a goal and assist in a 4-0 win for Borussia Dortmund in 2009.
- Watch Liverpool's clash with Karlsruher live on LFCTV and LFCTV GO on Wednesday. Join LFCTV GO now and get a month free using code GOFREE23. Visit Liverpoolfc.com/watch for more details.