LIVERPOOL legend Sami Hyypia is poised to make an emotional return to Anfield this summer, as coach of Bayer Leverkusen for the Reds final pre-season game.
Liverpool want to face the German club in what is now a traditional home friendly that occurs prior to the start of any new season, tentatively scheduling it for Sunday 12th August – six days before the Premier League campaign begins, and just three days after the second leg of the Reds Europa League 3rd round qualifier.
Should Leverkusen confirm, it will signal Hyypia’s first return to Anfield since leaving in 2009, after a glorious decade with the Reds where he won the Champions League, the UEFA Cup, two UEFA Super Cups, two FA Cups and two League Cups.
During Roy Hodgson’s ill-fated time at Liverpool, the now England manager tried to convince Hyypia to return to Merseyside, but he instead chose to honour his contract and stay in the Bundesliga.
Hyypia appeared 464 times for Liverpool, scoring 35 goals in the process from his towering centre-back position, and is widely regarded as one of the club’s greatest ever defenders and finest servants. The giant, likeable Finn has also been touted as one of the finest signings ever in Premier League history, costing just £2.5 million when arriving from Dutch club Willem II in May 1999.
After leaving Liverpool for Leverkusen, Hyypia retired from playing just 2-year later but joined the coaching staff at the BayArena, and was confirmed as manager – alongside under-19 coach Sascha Lewandowski – back in April.
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He’s the guy who should have got the managers job. When his career finished at Anfield many people tipped him to return as coach one day,