Klopp dismisses Barca rumours

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has quashed rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona.

The future of current Barca boss Gerardo Martino has come under the spotlight after the club fell off the pace in the Spanish title race and saw their hopes of winning the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey ended by Atletico and Real Madrid respectively.

A recent poll in Spanish newspaper Marca suggested Klopp is the fans’ preferred choice to take over at Camp Nou should Martino leave.

However, the German has insisted that a move to Catalonia does not interest him.

Speaking ahead of his side’s 4-2 win at home to Mainz on Saturday, the 46-year-old told Dortmund’s official website: “No one has to be concerned. We are all still a little in love with this club and how things are going here.”

Klopp expressed delight after Dortmund’s victory over his former club, which guaranteed qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Milos Jojic and Robert Lewandowski both saw goals cancelled out by Mainz’s Shinji Okazaki, before Lukasz Piszczek and Marco Reus found the net to secure three points.

“What my team did was outstanding. Nothing was taken for granted,” Klopp said.

“Everything came together – even the sun was shining. My team have beaten their inner demons once and for all.

“They (Mainz) started aggressively, playing at a high tempo. We were strong and scored great goals. We might have even got one or two more.

“The game was still tight for a long time. Still, all is well.”

Dortmund’s fourth successive Bundesliga win leaves them six points clear of rivals Schalke – who visit Stuttgart on Sunday – ahead of a trip to fourth-placed Leverkusen next week.