MADRID, 8 Apr. (SportsFinding) –
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola pointed to Jurgen Klopp as the “biggest rival” he has had in his coaching career before meeting this Sunday (5:30 p.m.) in a game that will be decisive for the Premier League.
The Spanish coach affirms that his rivalry with Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool is the most intense he has experienced during his career as a coach, leaving aside his problems with José Mourinho when he and the Portuguese were the respective coaches of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
“In the last five years they have been the biggest opponent,” Guardiola said before City’s highly anticipated clash with their title rivals on Sunday. “They have been an unbelievable, wonderful contender with good games. I admire Liverpool and the way they do it, but I enjoy the challenge,” he said.
“Jürgen, as a coach, has been the biggest rival I have had in my career and I think that what both teams are proposing is good for football. The point is not a mockery of José. He is an exciting coach and I was his rival, But I’ve been here for five years and I’ve played many more times against Liverpool.”
“Except the year we did 100 points, the rest were tight. It’s because they’re good and hopefully they think we’re good too. I’ll remember my period here, when I’m retired watching and playing golf, I’ll remember my biggest rival It was Liverpool, for sure,” he said.
Regarding the game, the man from Santpedor assured that “there will be three important points, but there will still be seven games, 21 points and many things related to the Champions League and the FA Cup (to play)”. “But of course it’s important,” he stated, downplaying the duel.
Unlike Guardiola’s bitter rivalry with Mourinho, there is a great deal of respect between him and Klopp. The German even described Guardiola as the best coach in the championship, a compliment the ‘City’ boss modestly dismissed.
“Thank you very much, but I’m not,” he said. “I would like to tell him that I am the best, but I am not.” Guardiola, however, was happy to praise his counterpart. “Jürgen makes world football a better place to live with his message, and he is a great competitor. He knows of my admiration for what he does, the message and the way his teams play. He is a good guy and I have no problem with him, absolutely not,” he said.
Lastly, Guardiola joked that he would happily share a bottle of wine with Klopp after the game, if City win. “If we win, I’d love to,” he said. “I will invite him! And he has said many times that we are a rich club, so the wine will be perfect, of high quality!” He finished.