Josep Guardiola’s Manchester City face Liverpool this weekend, with the Catalan playing his 1000th game in charge, but he misses his relationship and rivalry with Jurgen Klopp.
Pep Guardiola admits he will miss Jurgen Klopp as he prepares to celebrate his 1,000th match with Manchester City manager, recalling the rivalry they shared during their two spells as manager.
Guardiola’s toughest rivals in England so far have been Klopp’s Liverpool side, who he led to the final day of two epic title races and also clinched the Premier League crown in 2020.
Prior to that, the Catalan and German had also played in Germany against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively. Klopp managed to defeat Guardiola several times in his home country, and the matchup continued in England.
Many consider the clash between the sides to be one of the highest quality games seen in the Premier League era, with the points setting a new standard for what it takes to become champions, and Guardiola was full of praise for Klopp, who he has not faced in the past two seasons, ahead of this Sunday’s clash with Liverpool.
“If I had to choose one rival for this personal milestone that I would like to share with so many people, they would be the best. I have lived in this country longer than ever before, and of course the influence that Barcelona had on my life as a ball boy, football player, manager, etc. is obvious, and Bayern was a great step as well,” he said.
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“But Liverpool, especially the team with Jurgen, are our biggest rivals in this country and there’s no better rival to be honest. Fate has decided that and it’s great to live it.”
In the last season they played together, Guardiola and Klopp were inseparable. Their team drew 1-1 at the Etihad and then again at Anfield. Each manager has achieved landmark victories through their rivalry, but in past meetings both managers have been seen embracing each other full-time, always full of respect – and the City manager admits he has been forced to step up to beat the Liverpool icon.
“I think we had mutual respect, both on Jurgen’s side and on Pep’s side,” he said. “I feel like Jurgen gave me a lot and I miss him. He gave me a lot to be better in the sense of how much I have to think and work and execute to beat that guy.”
Since taking over as manager of Barcelona B in 2007, he has managed 999 games, winning 715 of them. That’s what happened with Barcelona, Bayern and now City. Although his trophy haul is extraordinary, the Catalan insists his success is mainly due to the players he has worked with.
“We’ve done incredible things with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and here. It’s very difficult to get there,” he said.
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