Pep Guardiola has praised Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool as being one of the best team’s he’s ever faced.
Guardiola was speaking on The Kelly & Wrighty Show as per mullafabz on YouTube (2mins 40secs) when he made the comments about Liverpool.
“We face an incredible contender,” said Guardiola. “The opponent Liverpool, when you see them, come on, they are one of the toughest opponents I ever faced in my managerial career by far.”
Guardiola has usually been in charge of the best teams in their respective divisions. But it’s still a meaningful statement and shows how seriously he is taking the challenge from Liverpool.
A worthy adversary
The Manchester City boss is well-known for lavishing sometimes unworthy praise on opponents. But in this case, his words are justified.
Without Liverpool’s incessant challenging of them, City would have been well on their way to a fourth title in five years.
The Reds are the only team to stop them during that period, in 2019/20. Klopp’s team also ran them mighty close the season before that. No Liverpool fan will need reminding that they collected 97 points and somehow managed to finish second.
Liverpool have also put an end to City’s Carabao Cup monopoly this season. Prior to Jordan Henderson collecting the trophy at Wembley in February, Pep’s team had won the previous four instalments of that competition.
The two will meet in the FA Cup semi-final and could still potentially face off in the biggest match of all – the Champions League final.
Mutual respect
There’s a reason why Guardiola recently called Liverpool ‘a pain.’ Just when he thinks his side have pulled away a little, there’s Jurgen in his rear-view mirror.
But Klopp’s quotes also seen on The Kelly & Wrighty Show (2mins 53secs) show that the feeling goes both ways.
“I couldn’t respect it more, what they (City) are doing,” said Klopp. “I like watching them so always when we play them the analysis is a mix of serious work and real joy, because it is fantastic football. It’s like the next level.”
As fans, we are lucky to see two masters at work at the same time. Unfortunately for Liverpool though, there is a feeling that in any other Premier League era they would be unstoppable.
It’s a period of real quality for the club with Klopp on board. It’s just a shame that there is another team with endless riches who are ready to match them every step of the way.
But in truth, that just makes any success that Liverpool have even more worthwhile.
The build up to the big one on April 10th has started already. Come on Liverpool.
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