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Klopp knew he'd overworked himself yet again when he felt an intense headache coming on. His body was exhausted from the long hours he had spent directing training, alternating between devising plans for upcoming matches and calling owners, sporting directors and clubs about various new signings.
Klopp needed a break, and he knew it. But all he could think about was the looming competition, and the pressure of ensuring Liverpool's success in the upcoming season. They'd massively disappointed the year before, and he refused to let his team suffer another failure season. He'd promised to improve things for the next season, and he needed to keep that promise.
It was the ninth day of pre-season when Klopp's overworking caught up with him. The team had landed in Baden-Wurttemberg the day before on a plane, and today was their first morning of training. Instead of launching the players onto the treadmills first thing in the morning, Klopp arranged a surprise for them: a yoga session.
To be honest, some of the players looked absolutely ridiculous attempting the poses. Klopp quickly lost track of the number of times the entire squad burst into laughter at a miserable yoga fail. They were all somewhat awkward, as was proven when a few of them managed to mess up the mountain pose.
"Kostantinos, I swear you have less balance than the boss!" Phillips laughed. The Englishman rarely laughed; he was sarcasm on steroids.
Tsimikas grinned, dusting himself off. He never took jokes personally, especially when they were about him. "Well then, it's a good thing I don't have whatever balance genes that Robbo has. He managed to mess up a pose while sitting down."
"OI!" Robertson huffed indignantly, glaring at Tsimikas. He didn't actually look that threatening, though, with his now strawberry-pink complexion and wild hair that had clearly been styled by a strong gust of wind. "I'll let you know I'm as flexible as a jelly doughnut!"
Mac Allister grinned in delight at the mere mention of doughnuts. "Now I'm hungry. When does lunch start?"
"At this rate, when Virgil actually goes through five seconds of warrior pose." As if to hammer the point in, Gakpo performed a flawless backflip right in front of Van Dijk. The Dutchman didn't mind, catching Gakpo on his second backflip.
"Careful, Cody! You nearly landed on the boss. We don't need that happening."
"Speaking of which." Pitaluga nodded towards Klopp. He stared off into the distance, seemingly unaware of all that was happening around him. "I don't know the boss as well as you guys do, but that's the look of an overworked man.”
"Then why doesn't he take a break?" the new recruits shouted. "He's going to be sick!”
Jota rolled his eyes, chuckling softly. “Are you kidding me? The boss would throw himself in front of a moving car if it meant we're happy.”
"Last season has haunted him since the summer began," Matip added. He got up from his lunge, groaning as he stretched. "I heard him telling Lijnders the other day that he never wanted to see the team so miserable again. He said he'd do everything in his power.”
"If Milly were here..." Robertson sighed, a small frown crossing his expression. That frown had come more frequently since Milner, Robertson's joint-best friend, left Liverpool. The Scot had coped well so far, but a fresh wound had been opened when they went to Germany for preseason. Robertson wasn't sharing a room with Milner for the first time since he'd come, and it had hit him hard. "He'd drag the boss to his bed and force him to go to sleep."
"Then that's what we'll do," Alexander-Arnold decided. Ever since Henderson’s departure, he'd started exploring his assertiveness—“natural leadership qualities” as Klopp called them—a little more. He gathered the team in a huddle. "Marcelo, Cody, you two will pick him up. Kostas, you'll distract him, and Nate, you'll open the door."
Pitaluga, Gakpo, and Tsimikas all nodded. But Phillips didn't nod.
He screamed .
The scream broke the "faux calm" demeanor of the whole team. Gakpo clung to Van Dijk like a small child, and Tsimikas' perpetual smile disappeared. Robertson took one look behind the group and instantly paled.
Klopp was unconscious, and Phillips barely managed to hold him up.
*
Klopp could barely see the scene in front of him. It was white and slightly fuzzy. He moved his hand, trying to figure out where he was, and there was a white, fluffy blanket as well. He recognized it as the blanket he'd fallen asleep with on the plane.
Crap. Oh, crap. Oh, CRAP . Panicked, Klopp moved each one of his limbs. Everything worked fine, yet they felt sore and heavy in a way unbefitting of a former athlete.
Athlete . That reminded him of where he was supposed to be. He was supposed to lead the team training session, watching their failed yet eager yoga attempts. He wasn't supposed to be in bed! He had to admit it, though--it didn't feel too bad at all. His headache was still there, and the exhaustion that had plagued him for the past week was even worse.
His phone rang. Klopp grabbed it, hoping for an explanation for all this, but all he saw were a few text messages from Jesse Marsch.
Jessethe🐐: Get bell soon
Jessethe🐐: *Wet
Jessethe🐐: Wep*
Jessethe🐐: forget it
Jessethe🐐: brother you can just die
Klopp rolled his eyes, trying not to laugh too hard at the last two messages.
TheNormalOne: Jesse are you okay?
TheNormalOne: I saw your messages, and I really wish I didn't
Jessethe🐐: OH GODDAMN IT
Jessethe🐐: Patrick and I were having dinner yesterday and we kind of overdid it on the beer
Jessethe🐐: So I meant to text Patrick, but I thought I'd accidentally drunk-texted Jose and added the last bit. but I think I confused your chat name with his
TheNormalOne: Hahaha it's okay
Jessethe🐐: But really J, how are you feeling? I tried to call earlier when I saw who I'd texted to, but your players told me you were in bed, catching up on sleep
TheNormalOne: oh GOTT VERDAMMT the boys saw this?
TheNormalOne: all I remember is feeling weak and then I passed out
Jessethe🐐: Yeah, according to the boys you passed out during training. Dr. Powell determined it was probably an aftereffect of cumulative stress and exhaustion. He advised that you take the rest of the day off
Jessethe🐐: Thankfully, Trent had the good sense to call me after you fainted. Isn't it great that someone looked out for you?
Klopp was about to type out a firm "no", but then thought otherwise. If the boys hadn't been there when they were, things could have been much worse. He hated for the boys to worry about him, but he had to admit that they'd done the right thing.
TheNormalOne: It is nice, even though I'd rather they not worry about me too much
Jessethe🐐: If there's one thing I learned from being friends with Patrick, it's that it's a joy to have someone who'll give a damn about your well-being, nevermind almost forty who live with you on a daily basis
TheNormalOne: It certainly is. After I'm rested, I'll put together a little surprise for them to thank them. Maybe I'll take them cycling in the Black Forest
Jessethe🐐: Then you'd better get an extra bicycle 🚲😉
TheNormalOne: why don't I like the sound of that?
Jessethe🐐: Didn't I tell you? Your players thought it'd be a good idea for me to take over today's training session while you rested
Jessethe🐐: They've invited me to hang out with them after your first friendly, and I’ve ACCEPTED!!!
Well, there was only one word that could sum up this situation.
" Scheisse ."