Jurgen Klopp believes that Divock Origi’s Liverpool career was irrevocably “changed” following a vicious challenge from Ramiro Funes Mori during the 2016 Merseyside Derby. Klopp revealed that just weeks prior, the Belgian striker had earned comparisons to Robert Lewandowski.
Origi joined Liverpool from Ligue 1 side Lille in 2014 and spent eight years at Anfield. During his tenure, he was part of a golden era for the Reds, contributing to their victories in the Champions League, Premier League, Super Cup, Club World Cup, League Cup, and FA Cup before moving to AC Milan in 2022.
Much of Origi’s time at Liverpool was spent as a backup to the formidable attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane.
However, Origi initially played a crucial role in Klopp’s early success on Merseyside, even surpassing Daniel Sturridge in the pecking order. He was a key player in Liverpool’s Europa League quarter-final ties against Borussia Dortmund in April 2016.
In the first leg at Signal Iduna Park, Origi led the line brilliantly, scoring a vital goal in the first half to secure a 1-1 draw for the Reds. In the return leg at Anfield, his composed finish three minutes into the second half set the stage for one of the most memorable comebacks in the club’s history. Liverpool overturned a 3-1 deficit to win 4-3 (5-4 on aggregate) and advance to the semi-finals.
Klopp, reflecting on the Dortmund ties in an interview with The Redmen TV, expressed his belief that Origi’s trajectory at Liverpool would have been different if not for Funes Mori’s tackle during a 4-0 win over Everton a week later.
“By the way, Dortmund away, Divock Origi: what a performance,” Klopp remarked. “So Dortmund in that phase [were] in the early stages without Lewandowski and after the game were like ‘Oh my god, you have another one!’ Divock was outstanding.
“And then in the Merseyside Derby, Funes Mori knocked him down in a really bad way. And that’s what I really hated about derbies, in the early stages that was possible.
“I was a hard player and was not hesitating, let me say it like that, but I didn’t understand that. That day changed the career, because Divock was coming [gestures upwards].
“He played in the [Europa League] final and I think that was the first game he could play and he was half limping and those kind of things, and the rest is history.”
Klopp’s comments highlight the pivotal moment that altered Origi’s promising rise at Liverpool, suggesting that the injury significantly impacted the Belgian’s career trajectory at the club.
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