Jürgen Klopp has managed at some of Europe's biggest stadiums, from Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park to Anfield itself. But Sevilla's Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán left a different impression on him. The former Liverpool manager once admitted it was the stadium he hated playing at most.
"I'm not sure it's the best stadium to play in, but the stadium I hate most to play in is Sevilla, because of the atmosphere there; that's a compliment!" Klopp said in comments to FIFA's media team, later published on Sevilla's official website.
Klopp faced Sevilla three times with three different clubs and never lost any of those matches.
Klopp's Record At The Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán
His history with Sevilla's stadium goes back to 2005/06, when his Mainz 05 side visited in the third round of the UEFA Cup and left with a goalless draw. Sevilla went on to win the competition that season, claiming their first major European trophy.
Five years later, Klopp returned as Borussia Dortmund manager for a Europa League group-stage match that finished 2-2.
The most memorable trip came with Liverpool in the 2017/18 Champions League group stage. Liverpool led 3-0 at half-time before Sevilla fought back to draw 3-3, with Wissam Ben Yedder and Guido Pizarro scoring the goals that completed the comeback.
Three visits, three draws, zero defeats. On paper, Klopp had a strong record against a club with a serious European pedigree. Yet he still described Sevilla as the stadium he hated playing at most.
What Makes The Sánchez-Pizjuán So Hard To Visit
The Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán isn't unusually large. Opened in 1958, it holds fewer than 44,000 people, making it smaller than most of the stadiums Klopp's teams regularly played in at Dortmund and Liverpool. Its reputation comes from the noise inside it.
The Gol Norte end is home to Biris Norte, Sevilla’s most vocal supporters’ group. The atmosphere there has earned the stadium a nickname among fans and football writers: La Bombonera de Nervión, a reference to Boca Juniors’ famously intense home in Buenos Aires.
Football writers covering Spanish stadiums have used the nickname both before and after Klopp made his comment.
Klopp's comment was not referring to a bad result, a difficult pitch, or a long trip. He was describing the experience of playing in a compact stadium where the crowd sits close to the pitch and creates pressure on the visiting team throughout the game.
Klopp is now working in a different role with UEFA. He left Liverpool at the end of the 2023–24 season after nine years in charge.
Since January 2025, he has worked as Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer, advising the group’s clubs, including RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg and New York Red Bulls, on coaching, recruitment and playing philosophy. He is not currently managing a team.
Sevilla has had a difficult few seasons since that 2017 comeback, finishing 17th in La Liga in 2024–25. Their results have declined since Klopp made his remark, but the stadium has continued to be described as one of Europe’s more difficult away grounds.
