Liverpool’s preparations for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Roma have been rocked by the sudden departure of Jurgen Klopp’s assistant.
Zeljko Buvac has left the club for ‘personal reasons’ on the eve of their biggest game of the season as they seek to defend a 5-2 lead away in Rome.
The Bosnian-Serb has been Jurgen Klopp’s right-hand man for 17 years, the pair having played together at Mainz, but Buvac has taken the decision to take some time away from the club.
Jurgen Klopp’s No 2 Zeljko Buvac, circled during what could be his last game with Liverpool in Saturday’s draw with Stoke, has left on the eve of facing Roma this week
Jurgen Klopp’s closest ally is often referred to as ‘the brain’ behind the Anfield operation
Liverpool have been stunned by the departure of the Bosnian-Serb deputy to Klopp
The pair have worked together as manager and assistant for the last 17 years
The pair first encountered at German club Mainz, where Klopp played for 11 years.
Buvac was an attacking midfielder during his playing days and played alongside Klopp for three years there in the early 1990s.
There they struck up a bond and promised each other that whoever made it into management first, the other would follow them there.
Buvac took over at lower league German outfit Neukirchen in 1998, but Klopp was still playing with Mainz.
And when he suddenly got elevated to player-manager in February 2001 after the sacking of Eckhard Krautzun, the pair made good on their promise.
There they remained for seven years, guiding Mainz to the Bundesliga for the first time in 2004 and then into the UEFA Cup a year later.
Klopp and Buvac (circled) pictured in the Mainz team photo at the start of the 1992-93 season
They first met as players at Mainz in the early 1990s and made a pact to coach together
Buvac joined Klopp at Mainz when he was suddenly elevated to manager in February 2001
They spent seven years at Mainz and got them promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time
Klopp and Buvac pose for a Mainz team photo ahead of the 2005-06 Bundesliga season
But the fairytale bubble burst when Mainz were relegated in 2007, and though Klopp remained he departed after failing to get them back up at the first attempt.
It was then that Borussia Dortmund came calling, and Klopp insisted that Buvac follow him.
It was at Dortmund that the high-speed attacking and relentless pressing style bore fruit, and brought them their most successful period together.
Dortmund broke Bayern Munich’s stranglehold over German football, claiming back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, including a first ever Double.
A year later and they were in the Champions League final after demolishing Real Madrid, but were denied by a late Arjen Robben winner at Wembley.
Buvac followed Klopp to Borussia Dortmund where they won two Bundesliga titles
They spent another seven years at Dortmund and reached the Champions League final in 2013
Klopp formed a triumvirate with Buvac and Peter Krawietz (right) in his time at Dortmund
The trio are known as ‘The Heart’ (Klopp), ‘The Eyes’ (Krawietz) and ‘The Brain’ (Buvac)
It was on Klopp’s insistence that Buvac followed him to Anfield in October 2015, and he told Liverpool that he came as a three – with Peter Krawietz the third man in the operation.
And when he was rewarded with a new six-year deal a year later, he demanded his lieutenants received the same.
Buvac is regarded as ‘The Brain’ by Klopp while Krawietz acts as ‘The Eyes’. Klopp has referred to himself in the past as ‘The Heart’.
Buvac is responsible for a lot of the training drills that have helped Liverpool deliver the high-octane style that has become the signature of Klopp sides.
On the training pitch Buvac is the most vocal and drills the repetition of attacking movements that have helped Liverpool become one of the most devastating sides in Europe.
They then both followed him to Liverpool when he replaced Brendan Rodgers in October 2015
Klopp insisted the pair receive similar six-year deals when he signed a new contract in 2016
Klopp often turns to his No 2 for assistance and guidance during a match, and he has a big say in calling substitutions and making tactical switches.
His importance was shown when Klopp missed a game against Sunderland two years ago with appendicitis and again earlier this season when he was taken unwell, Buvac assumed control.
It has been noted around Melwood that Buvac operates on a level above that of a normal assistant and often seeks to cede the limelight.
The relationship between the two has often been regarded as professional instead of social, like the one Klopp enjoys with his best man and Huddersfield boss David Wagner.
Buvac has left his role alongside Klopp at Liverpool due to ‘personal reasons’