● Pep Guardiola insisted that he won't be leaving the Premier League alongside Jurgen Klopp - and even hinted at staying at Manchester City beyond 2025.
Pep Guardiola joked that he will sleep better once Jurgen Klopp has left Liverpool – and backed his long-time rival to return to management one day.
Klopp made the shock announcement on Friday morning that he will be quitting Anfield at the end of the season after nine years in charge.
Guardiola joined City a year after Klopp arrived on Merseyside, and the duo have been jostling at the top of English football almost ever since, with the German ending Liverpool’s 30-year wait for the title in 2020.
They had previously locked horns for two years in Germany with Guardiola at Bayern Munich and Klopp in charge of Borussia Dortmund, and have faced each other more than any other manager – a total of 29 times.
○ They have been our biggest rivals. And personally he [Klopp] has been the best rival I ever had in my life – in Dortmund when I was in Bayern, then here. I think the Premier League are going to miss him – the charisma, the personality and especially the way his teams play.
○ Maybe it’s my opinion and he will not admit it but he will be back. I know it. Football needs managers and personalities like him. And I hope l it was our dream when we were together now from next season we can have time to go to dinner together. Or have the drink that we deserve to take.
Guardiola joined City a year after Klopp arrived on Merseyside, and the duo have been jostling at the top of English football almost ever since, with the German ending Liverpool’s 30-year wait for the title in 2020.
They had previously locked horns for two years in Germany with Guardiola at Bayern Munich and Klopp in charge of Borussia Dortmund, and have faced each other more than any other manager – a total of 29 times.
The two clubs have since met in the Premier League on 15 occasions in an enduring rivalry which Guardiola once described as “beautiful”, with City winning five matches, Liverpool four and the other six finishing as draws.
●Guardiola, who joined Manchester City in 2016 after spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona, said he could relate to Klopp's decision.
“All the managers [can relate]. In many years, many years in the same place, I found that in Barcelona," he said. "So all the arguments I hear today, that I listened to about that, I understand completely."
“Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino also reacted to the news of Klopp's untimely exit.
All the managers will [feel tired] when you’ve done many years, I feel it completely. I felt it at Barcelona so I understand it completely.”
City stayed on course for glory in three competitions when Nathan Ake's 88th-minute goal earned Guardiola's men an FA Cup fourth-round win against Spurs – their first win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in six attempts.
It was a thoroughly deserved victory for City who dominated throughout, registering 18 attempts on goal to Spurs one, with five on target to the home's side's one.
“From the statistics and the way we played I was really pleased,” said Guardiola. “Today we performed incredibly well. Everything [pleased me], from minute one to 95 minute. We are trying to defend the title and coming here is difficult.
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