Liverpool friendly to go ahead as rock band U2 help pay for new pitch

Jurgen Klopp will get to play his 'heavy metal football' thanks to U2

Liverpool have rock band U2 to thank for a friendly with Hertha Berlin going ahead as planned next week.

A new pitch has been laid at Berlin's Olympic Stadium to replace the damaged surface after the Irish band performed a concert there on 12 July.

And a spokesperson for the stadium has confirmed to BBC Sport that U2 have paid about 90,000 euros (£80,000) towards the total cost of 130,000 euros (£116,000).

Hertha host Liverpool on Saturday, 29 July in a friendly to mark both clubs' 125th anniversaries.

Work started on relaying the Olympic Stadium pitch on Wednesday

"The pitch will be in perfect condition for the game," Olympic Stadium spokesperson Christoph Meyer said.

"We've done this a lot of times, sometimes even one day before a match."