Dutch already playing ‘Xavi-style football’, says Klopp

Germany coach Jurgen Klopp has praised the newly appointed Netherlands coach Xavi Hernandez, stating that the Dutch team is already playing in his own style of football after just five matches in charge. Speaking in Berlin ahead of the upcoming match between the two rivals, Klopp highlighted the Netherlands' 7-0 victory over Greece on Friday, praising the team's electric style of play.

Xavi Hernandez, a former Barcelona midfielder and World Cup winner with Spain, has been praised for his possession-based approach, which sees him constantly pushing his style to the limit. The Netherlands currently sit third in the group stage, with only the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals. Germany will need to defeat the Netherlands to have a chance at advancing.

Xavi, who has been in charge of the Netherlands since August, said he is starting to understand the nature of the rivalry with Germany, calling it one of the fiercest in football. He emphasized that the team's success against Germany will be down to the players' abilities, not his own coaching style. In their previous encounter in September, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Xavi admitted that surprising a coach like Klopp would be challenging, but expressed his honor at facing him again.