FORGET the battle for Champions League places in the Premier League and across Europe, a west Yorkshire town will host an intriguing battle of its own this afternoon that will catch the eye of Messrs Mourinho and Klopp.

When Middlesbrough head to Huddersfield Town looking for a result which could lift them into the Championship’s top two, it will bring together two continental head coaches desperate to make a name for themselves on their own.

Aitor Karanka, nationally known as Jose Mourinho’s assistant and already well on his way to making people sit up and take notice of his work, versus David Wagner, Jurgen Klopp’s best man who has ended up in charge of the Terriers and challenged with guiding them up and clear of relegation trouble and beyond.

Wagner has taken on his first frontline managerial role after years working as the reserve team boss at Borussia Dortmund. He was handed the reins at the John Smith’s Stadium after receiving a glowing recommendation from Liverpool’s German boss.

The path bears similarities to Karanka’s own route to Boro two years ago, when he was effectively given the job for his work in Spain alongside Mourinho at Real Madrid and his contacts in La Liga.

Huddersfield chairman Dean Hoyle, ready for his club’s fans to welcome Wagner for the first time this afternoon, hopes for the sort of turnaround which Karanka has enjoyed at the Riverside; where the Spaniard led Boro up from a position of concern to one now where they only have eyes on automatic promotion.

But Karanka has warned Wagner that it will not be an easy ride as he looks to deliver the goals of Huddersfield’s ambitious and demanding owner.

He boss said: “It’s very hard to come as ‘the assistant of a great manager’, just because you are an assistant somewhere doesn’t make you a success because you are coming to a different country, different language, learning different things.

“It was really difficult for me in the beginning. But I am lucky to have had the chairman here I have had.”

Steve Gibson, the Middlesbrough owner, was responsible for appointing Karanka and he has given him the freedom to do what he likes with the squad in a bid to bring Premier League football back to Teesside.

As Wagner prepares for his first home game in charge, Karanka recalled how just five games into his own reign at the Riverside he feared it was already heading for a quick end after losing at home to Brighton in December 2013.

“For Steve it was a big gamble because I was the first foreign manager here, without experience,” said Karanka. “It was a big gamble for him but when he took that decision he felt it was completely right.

“Our first games were not as good as we expected at that time in terms of results but I think the crowd and Steve felt the team was improving. He kept his trust in me and I had to say thanks.

“After the game against Brighton I had my bag ready to go back to Spain … my experience here since has been amazing!”

He is the seventh longest serving manager in the Championship but he will not be satisfied until he has guided Boro to promotion. He has had to make some tough decisions along the way, like allowing experienced midfielder Dean Whitehead to leave at the end of his contract in the summer.

Whitehead will face his old team-mates this afternoon at the John Smith’s Stadium having signed for Huddersfield as a free agent.

Karanka said: “I know Dean is an important player for them. It was difficult for me to let him go because he is a player who I love.

“He was always ready to play. He played as a right-back, a midfielder, everywhere I needed him. He did his best whenever he played, he is an important player for them now and is enjoying it there.

“The reason he left was because I couldn’t offer him games this season. Last season he played a few games, but he is a year older. We had more players to come in, I had to improve the squad. I could not guarantee him games.

“With his age it is better for him to playing every single game. He agreed. We now have an amazing relationship, he watched the game at Old Trafford when we beat Manchester United. He is the kind of person who deserves to do well.”