Champions League: Sami Hyypia questions Premier League 'passion'

 

Sami Hyypia: Bayer Leverkusen coach takes on Manchester United in the Champions League

Bayer Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia believes that some of the 'passion' has gone from the Premier League as he prepares to face Manchester United.

The former Liverpool defender, whose final start for the Merseyside club came in their 4-1 success at Old Trafford in March 2009, is back in England for Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League Group A opener against the Red Devils.
And the rookie boss, who moved to Leverkusen as a player at the end of his Anfield career before being recently fast-tracked into the hot-seat, claims the focus of some players in England may not always be on football.

Jamie Redknapp looks ahead to the Champions League and discusses how the British teams will fare this season. 

"I saw a few games recently and I wondered if they were trying hard enough," he told the Daily Telegraph. "Somehow the passion was not there.
"This was always the trademark of the English game - the tempo was high and there were tackles. But this time I was thinking: 'What's happening?