Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has labelled Chelsea boss and German compatriot Thomas Tuchel as an 'outstanding' coach ahead of the Carabao Cup Final this weekend.
Both coaches have won major silverware with their respective club's since moving to the Premier League from the European continent, therefore making the prospect of this Carabao Cup Final a mouth-watering one.
The Reds come into this fixture after their thumping 6-0 victory over Leeds United in the latest round of Premier League midweek fixtures.
A day before that emphatic victory at Anfield that certainly had Chelsea fans sweating, the Blues themselves picked up a very positive result in the first leg of their Round of 16 Champions League tie against Lille.
It's set up to be a blockbuster event on Sunday at the national stadium between two coaches that have had a massive impact on English football.
Nine trophies have been won between the club for their respective English clubs
Klopp has waxed lyrical of the Chelsea manager prior to the grand showpiece with the former Paris Saint-Germain boss racking up three of those trophies in the year he's been in charge under Roman Abramovich's watch.
Ahead of the Carabao Cup Final, Klopp delivered his four-word verdict on his good friend to Sky Sports: "He's an outstanding coach."
He then went on to talk about his long relationship with the Chelsea boss that stretched backed to Tuchel's Mainz days in the youth set up.
"Until today, I was really friends with Christian Heidel who is Mainz's Sporting Director or CEO, I don't know exactly everything at Mainz," Klopp clarified.
"When Heidel started talking about him [Tuchel], he could not stop.
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"Thomas was then an incredible talent, he did an incredible job with the youth of Mainz.
"He reached a final with Mainz and won it against Dortmund by the way, who had the likes of Mario Gotze and others at the time, so really a good team.
"Then he took the first team and the rest is history. He's really exceptional."
Tuchel is likely to reciprocate the love shown by his German counterpart when he faces the media at Cobham on Friday afternoon to answer questions on Sunday's showcase event from a Chelsea perspective.
