Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp ‘the biggest rival I have had’ - Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola
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Updated 08/04/2022 at 14:34 GMT
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp is the biggest rival he has had in his management career, ahead of a game on Sunday which is being billed as a Premier League title decider. Klopp has also heaped praise on Guardiola - but the Spaniard denies he is the best coach in the world.
‘I didn’t become a manager to be the best’ - Guardiola plays down praise from Klopp
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has denied suggestions from his Liverpool counterpart that he is the best head coach in world football - after calling Jurgen Klopp the “biggest rival of my career”.
Both managers have been heaping praise on each other ahead of a game on Sunday which is being billed as a Premier League title decider, with City just a point ahead of their rivals going into the match.
Klopp believes he is going up against a coach who is unmatched in the global game, but Guardiola says any success he has had is not solely down to him.
“I did not become a manager to be the best," Guardiola said. "I’m not, thank you so much but I’m not, I would like to tell you I'm the best but I'm not.
“If I had success it was because of my staff with incredible teams, with a lot of money, like a lot of opponents likes to hear it, with a lot of work, with talented players, but I’m not. I’m still in the process of learning.
“The last five years (they) have been the biggest opponent, they’ve been an incredible and marvellous contender, with good games but I’ve said many times my opinion about Liverpool, how good they are, but I enjoy this challenge.
“Jurgen has been as a manager the biggest rival I have had in my career - I think what both teams propose is good for football. Both teams want to try to be ourselves and it will be an incredible test.”
Over the past four seasons, Liverpool and City have been pushing each other for the title, leading Jamie Carragher to claim their rivalry is unrivalled in English football history. It has sparked a debate about whether that is true or not, but when asked whether they can match rivalries between tennis greats Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Guardiola said it was difficult to compare.
“Nadal, Federer and Djokovic was 20 years and we are five years. Footballers run quicker and to maintain success is more difficult than other sports,” he said.
When I retire and watch and play golf I remember here the biggest rivalry was Liverpool.
"When you achieve 100pts and 98 points you need someone to push from behind to be so close. You have to make another step.
“I think Liverpool, knowing our club and chairman, we want to grow. I'm sure Liverpool and other teams are going to try to do it. The most credit I give is consistency through the years.
“That's why Federer, Nadal, Djokovic have been at the top for so long. Arriving at these stages to win the titles, we try to do it.”
Guardiola says his relationship with Klopp is generally good, even though there is an intensity between the two clubs given they are constantly fighting for the same titles. But when he was asked if he would invite the Liverpool boss for a glass of wine after the game, the City head coach joked it will depend on the result.
“If we win I'd love it. I'll invite him,” he said.
Jurgen makes world football a better place to live. His message, a huge competitor.
“He knows, we spoke together in Germany, the message and the way his teams play. He's a good guy and I don't have any problems with him.”
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