Pep Guardiola: Man City boss says he is a 'better manager' due to 'battles' with Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has made him a better manager in his career.

City have won five of the last six Premier League titles under Guardiola with only Klopp's Liverpool taking one of them in the 2019-20 season.

Liverpool currently lead the Premier League table on 67 points with just nine games of the 2023-24 league season remaining with City three points behind in third.

Guardiola says he will "never forget" the coaching battles he has had with Klopp over the years both at Liverpool and during his time as Bayern Munich boss playing Klopp's Dortmund sides.

Speaking on TNT Sports' 'Moments that Made Me', Guardiola recalled when City won the Premier League title by just a single point, ahead of Liverpool, in the 2018-19 season.

"When Liverpool didn't win the Premier League on 97 points, they did everything," he said.

"I will be completely honest with you. When I get out of here and leave here and I'll remember my period personally here, always I will remember that the biggest rival and how incredible battles we had between each other.

"The reason why I give incredible credit with the five Premier Leagues we won is because we were battling with unbelievable football club like Liverpool.

"Incredible manager and his staff and incredible players. I will never forget these battles, never ever in my life.

"It's an honour, for all my career everybody knows Klopp made me a better manager and Liverpool made me a better manager. There is no doubt about that."

City won the treble for the first time in their history in the 2022-23 season.

Guardiola admits it is hard to process the achievement when the goal was completed in Istanbul last year, but says he savours the moments when he has time to reflect on them.

"It was really nice, but at the final game [of the Premier League season] against Aston Villa the emotions were even higher I would say," he added.

"Of course it was really good because now, ok we had done it. The people would not ask me again in every press conference 'you haven't won the Champions League' and so on.

"One week before we won the FA Cup against Manchester United after winning the Premier League again. To win the Champions League, the trophy like we did.

"It was really nice the parade here. It was raining, the best parade we had done on the night.

"These kind of achievements you celebrate more intimately at home or on the sofa. Now, for example, you enjoy now watching the pictures you show me right now or in our home.

"Everyone wanted to take pictures with everyone, you don't have time to enjoy it properly. Now these moments happen in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, I enjoy those moments more now than at the real time."

City and Real Madrid will renew UEFA Champions League pleasantries in the quarter-final of this year's Champions League having been draw together for the third season in a row.

Watch Man City vs Real Madrid live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from 7pm on Tuesday, April 9.

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