“He loves the job too much”
©IMAGO
The hug between Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola after the final whistle was long. “It was an exchange. We respect each other brutally,” said the German coach of Liverpool FC. The spectacular 1-1 draw on Sunday against reigning champions Manchester City was the last duel between the two top coaches for the time being. Klopp will quit the Reds at the end of the season. Nevertheless, Guardiola believes in a reunion on the bench.
“He will come back. He loves the job too much,” said the former Bayern coach and explained: “Football needs personalities like him.” Manchester City won five of the last six championship titles. Mostly hunted and demanded by Klopp’s Liverpool. “He made us a better team. “He made me a better coach,” emphasized Guardiola. Thanks to the draw between Klopp’s team and the defending champions, Arsenal are now in first place with 64 points, level on points with Liverpool. The Citizens follow one point behind (to the table). “We still have ten games left. Anything can happen,” said Guardiola about the three-way battle.
Klopp viewed the 1-1 draw between his weakened team against superstar Erling Haaland and Co. as a “statement” to the competition. “Arsenal won’t stop. City won’t stop. We won’t stop,” announced Klopp. Four farewell titles are still possible for the former Bundesliga coach. Klopp has already won the League Cup. With second place in the league, the chance of winning the championship is good. In the Europa League, reaching the quarter-finals is just a formality after the 5-1 win at Sparta Prague in the first leg. The next highlight follows on Sunday (4.30 p.m.) in the round of the best eight in the FA Cup against arch-rivals Manchester United.
Seven different trophies: all of Jürgen Klopp’s titles with Liverpool
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