Hummels: Dortmund Want and Need to Beat Liverpool

Mats Hummels knows a thing or two about what drives Borussia Dortmund.  The 27-year-old defender joined his current club on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2008, preceding Jürgen Klopp's appointment as manager by a few months.  Having spent almost his entire tenure with Dortmund under Klopp's management, it was no surprise that Hummels has had a few thoughts about the pending Europa League clash with Liverpool and his former boss.

"It's going to be very interesting, also from an emotional standpoint. I'm trying not to think about it just right now," said Hummels to German broadcaster ZDF.  Not surprising, given that Dortmund are, once again, locked in an epic tussle with fellow titans Bayern Munich for top honors in the Bundesliga, having shared the points with the Bavarian club (and current league leaders) earlier this month before more recently dispatching Mainz 05 and Liverpool pen pals FC Augsburg.

Any Liverpool supporters hoping that the overwhelming emotion of the Dortmund-Klopp reunion will give their side a psychological advantage against the German heavyweights in their Europa League contest should, however, probably recalibrate their expectations.  In speaking to ZDF, Hummels delivered a polite promise of punishment that rivals Ivan Drago's "I must break you" in terms of portent.

"It's a match in which we want to beat [Klopp] and must beat him. He will get a warm welcome and a warm send-off, but in between I hope to drive him to incandescence (with rage)," said Hummels.  Dortmund are, by the estimation of many, one of the heavy favorites to lift the Europa League trophy this year, so it will be no mean feat if Liverpool can find a way past the German club.  For the sake of the current Liverpool players, here's hoping they can pull it off without Klopp rage levels going beyond a gentle simmer, otherwise one suspects there may be a few new additions to Klopp's youtube.com portfolio.