Jurgen Klopp has said that Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world.
The Citizens are preparing to take on Liverpool at Anfield this weekend for what could be the last Premier League meeting between Klopp and Guardiola, with the German set to leave the Merseyside club at the end of the season.
Now though, the Liverpool boss has been sharing his thoughts on Guardiola and the rivalry the duo have had.
Klopp says Guardiola made him a better manager
Speaking in his latest press conference ahead of Sunday’s big match, Klopp had this to say about Guardiola.
He said: “All the trophies he’s won but you see him on the side and it is like he has never won one before. The desire, I do the job myself so I see excellence when I face it.
“So many different things over the years he did with his teams, always possession-based but some times long balls, Ederson in years ago and then [Sergio] Aguero waits and it is difficult to defend. So many different things over the years. How can I judge managers from the past? In my lifetime Pep is the outstanding manager.
“I was never frustrated [against Guardiola]. I knew 3000 footballers better than me but I still loved the game so I have no problem with that. Never frustrated me, he made me a better manager. I have a positive record against Pep but I have no clue how that happened. I know I am quite good at what I do. I don’t want to sound like I am just happy to be here, I know I am not bad but he is the best.
“Most of the time I do the job without facing Guardiola. It’s much too detailed to say now [why he’s better]. I cannot say where but there might be areas where I am better, I don’t know. I cannot make these differences now. Maybe it is a question of taste? Some people might like the way we play more. I do, by the way, otherwise we would play differently.”
Throughout his managerial career, Guardiola has faced off against Klopp on 29 occasions, more than any other manager he’s battled.
Out of those 29 games, 11 have resulted in wins for the Spaniard, whereas Klopp has won 12, backing up the Liverpool manager’s point about him having a positive record against the 53-year-old.
Back in 2021, the Spaniard mirrored Klopp’s latest comments by saying that the German has made him a better manager, which highlights the significant respect the pair have for each other.
Taking into account how many trophies Guardiola has won during his managerial career, it’s hard to deny Klopp’s claim that the City boss is the best in the world.
