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Former Liverpool forward Christian Benteke has revealed that he felt sidelined under Jurgen Klopp, leading to his departure from the Reds.
The former Premier League striker expressed his unwillingness to remain at Anfield and become a "loser." Benteke made his move to Liverpool in July 2015 after an impressive stint at Aston Villa, where he netted 49 goals over three seasons.
Now aged 34, Benteke was initially signed by Brendan Rodgers. Upon joining, Benteke had expressed his belief that Liverpool was "the right club" for him, stating his desire to be part of Rodgers' "project." However, Rodgers was shown the door by Liverpool just shy of three months later, with Klopp stepping into his shoes.
Klopp's preference for Daniel Sturridge and Divok Origi up front left Benteke on the sidelines, a mere few months after becoming Liverpool's second most expensive signing in the club's history.
Benteke's dream run at Liverpool quickly turned sour. Crystal Palace swooped in to rescue the beleaguered striker, securing his services in August 2016.
After his move to the Eagles, Benteke candidly discussed feeling overlooked by Klopp, although he did also reminisce about some positive experiences.
"When Klopp came in, given the players available to him, I wasn't among his first choices," Benteke shared with French publication L'Equipe.
"Given the way he wanted to play, perhaps there were more interesting players than me. But I'm not a child: I didn't cry, I didn't moan, even if of course I wanted to play. It was frustrating.
"You can't allow yourself to give up, to stay in the situation of a loser, so you try to find a solution, to be happy. I found that by coming to Crystal Palace, and I'm happy today."
There had been warning signals for Benteke during Klopp's tenure.
The former Dortmund manager once admitted he "had a few words, nothing else" following his furious reaction to Benteke's squandered opportunity in Liverpool's 3-2 loss against Southampton in March 2016.
Speaking during the latter part of that campaign, Benteke remained convinced his destiny lay at Anfield.
"In January I didn't want to leave and it's still my desire to succeed at Liverpool," he said, adding: "We'll see at the end of the season."
Reflecting on his period under Klopp, who subsequently made a lighthearted quip about the Belgian forward's exit, Benteke revealed that Klopp had originally sought to recruit him while managing Dortmund, which only heightened Benteke's bewilderment at being sidelined at Liverpool.
"Some teammates said that I was lucky with the arrival of Klopp because I certainly would play," Benteke told Belgium's Sport/Voetbalmagazine.
"When your coach says he wanted to take you to Dortmund and a little later you sit at the same club and he ignores you it is hard to understand."
Benteke enjoyed a six-season stint at the Eagles, netting 37 goals in 117 appearances before making a move to DC United in the MLS where he has chalked up an impressive 49 goals in 97 matches.
An intriguing encounter awaits on Saturday as two of Benteke's former clubs, Liverpool and Palace, go head-to-head at Selhurst Park. The match promises to be a thrilling affair with both Liverpool and Palace being the only two teams yet to taste defeat in the top-flight after five games.
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