Pep Guardiola spent nine years as Manchester City manager, during which time he faced Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp more than any other manager in a rivalry that saw both sides battle for trophies
Connor O'Neill Senior Sports Content Creator and James Findlater Content Editor
21:45, 28 May 2026
Former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola has opened up on his rivalry with Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp
Pep Guardiola has confessed that facing Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp was a torturous experience — yet he now looks forward to sharing a meal with his former adversary. Klopp and Guardiola have locked horns more frequently than either has faced any other manager throughout their respective careers.
Guardiola's City went toe-to-toe with Klopp's Liverpool at the pinnacle of English football for several years, and the pair also clashed while at the helm of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund respectively in the Bundesliga between 2013 and 2015.
However, it was in the Premier League where the two forged a deeply respectful rivalry, routinely battling it out for top honors. Although Guardiola's City dominated proceedings with four title victories in the final five seasons of Klopp's tenure at Liverpool, the two sides produced no shortage of memorable encounters.
In an interview with Noel Gallagher, in which he reflected upon his time at the Etihad, Guardiola laid bare just how daunting those meetings with Klopp's Liverpool truly were.
He said: "For the quality of the opponent we faced, we faced a lot but Liverpool was a nightmare. Every time, it was a nightmare," reports the Manchester Evening News.
Jurgen Klopp the head coach / manager of Liverpool and Pep Guardiola the head coach / manager of Manchester City reacts at full time during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool FC at Etihad Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Manchester, England.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola dominated English football at Liverpool and Manchester City(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
Before adding: "It was really good, it always has been really good - even back in Germany. We faced (each other) a lot of times when he was at Dortmund."
Klopp stepped down as Liverpool manager in the summer of 2024, following almost nine years at the helm, to take a break from management.
The German has since taken up the role of global head of soccer for the Red Bull group, and Guardiola is eager to share a meal with his former adversary.
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"We have not been for dinner once but now it is going to happen," he said. "The relationship is one of the things I am proud of the most, I would say.
"They were really, really good but in the moment when they face us they know that is the game that gets the best of them and Anfield.
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"Anfield has a history that no stadium has. It's a really tough place for me for the fact the way they play, not just for the stadium. They were such a special team. You sleep one second and they punish you. The three up front..."