Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has reserved high praise for Liverpool’s former manager Jurgen Klopp, dubbing him the ‘toughest’ opponent he’s ever clashed with during their Premier League careers.
The Spaniard expressed deep respect for Klopp’s tactics and the challenges they posed as the two juggernauts contended for domestic and European glory. Klopp, who stepped away from Anfield helm last January after a near decade-long successful stint at Liverpool, left behind a legacy of intense competition with Guardiola’s City, narrowly missing out on more titles due to City’s impressive form.
Guardiola, in a candid reflection on his adversary during a UEFA Pro Licence course video, acclaimed Klopp’s strategic prowess that often led to sleepless nights for him and his coaching staff.
Despite the fierce rivalry, Guardiola and Klopp maintained mutual admiration. Post-Klopp, Liverpool have surged back to prominence, while Guardiola acknowledged that Klopp’s Liverpool stands as the most formidable team he’s ever faced, highlighting their playing style, transitions, and potent attacking force.
“Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have been the toughest I’ve ever faced in my life,” Guardiola confessed to the Spanish football federation.
“I haven’t had an opponent with whom I’ve spent so many nights and afternoons with my [coaching staff], with many of those who were there, figuring out how to stop them.
“There were days when I thought, ‘I’ve got him’, and the next day he’d destroy me again. He was the toughest by far because of his way of playing, his transitions, because he was very direct, because he attacked with a lot of players.
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“I give a lot of credit to what we’ve done these years, to the league titles we’ve won, due to the incredible quality of the opponent we’ve had to face.
“Now Arsenal has taken that step, Liverpool is still there of course, but those three or four league titles we won [against] Jurgen Klopp are the greatest success we’ve achieved due to the impressive level…there hasn’t been a tougher opponent I’ve ever faced.”
Throughout Klopp’s career, no other manager has squared off against him as frequently as Guardiola. In their 30 encounters, Klopp has emerged victorious 12 times, with 11 losses and seven draws.
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Klopp’s tenure at Liverpool includes standout wins over Guardiola’s side, particularly during the Reds’ dominant 2019-20 season, along with victories in the FA Cup semi-final and Champions League quarter-final.
Following Arne Slot’s guidance of Liverpool to another Premier League title, Klopp sent warm congratulations to his successor. Slot shared, “That’s Jurgen. What did he have to say? What most of them said, congratulations! And now you know how special a club it is. Now you’re a part of this history. These kind of things.
“He was really happy for me, the players, the staff and the fans. Like we all know with Jurgen. I think he was the most famous one.”
