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Football

21st Jan 2019

Liverpool finally settle Zeljko Buvac situation

Liverpool have finally reached a settlement with former assistant coach Zeljko Buvac, nine months after he departed the club in mysterious circumstances

Reuben Pinder

He left his role back in April.

Liverpool have finally agreed on a settlement with former assistant manager Zeljko Buvac, who left his role back in April 2018.

Buvac had been a long term assistant to Jurgen Klopp at Mainz, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, but left abruptly before last season’s Champions League final, for “personal reasons”.

His profile had remained on the club’s official website, despite him not fulfilling his duties for the past nine months.

Pepijn Lijnders has now officially replaced Buvac as Klopp’s assistant manager, having returned to the club in an undefined first-team coaching role back in June last year.

Buvac was considered the brains behind Klopp’s operation at Liverpool, and while held great influence at the club, the club’s continued success in his absence has all but debunked that theory.

Lijnders has previously worked as U16s and first-team elite development coach for the Reds, and is well respected for his work at PSV Eindhoven and Porto, although he only lasted four months as manager of Dutch side Nijmegen Eendracht Combinatie.

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