Pep Guardiola was visibly emotional as he responded to Jurgen Klopp’s heartfelt tribute following the Liverpool manager’s departure.
Klopp’s exit marks the end of a nine-year stint at Anfield, during which he and Guardiola developed one of the Premier League’s most intense rivalries.
In Klopp’s final Premier League match, a 2-0 win over Wolves at Anfield, he praised Guardiola despite the issue of Manchester City’s ongoing investigation for 115 breaches of financial fair play.
Klopp praised Guardiola’s managerial skills, saying, “Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world. If you put any other manager in that club, they don’t win the league four times in a row.”
When Guardiola heard Klopp’s comments, he was deeply moved, stating, “I will miss him a lot.”
He admitted, “Jurgen has been a really important part of my life. He brought me to another level as a manager. We respect each other incredibly.”
“He helps me with his team, he has been a huge competitor in my life. I didn’t discover the way I can punish them like I can find for other teams,” he remarked.
Recall City won their fourth consecutive Premier League title with a 3-1 win over West Ham, adding to Guardiola’s impressive tally of six Premier League titles.
He also boasts of two FA Cups, four Carabao Cups, and a Champions League since joining City.