'My Biggest Rival': Pep Guardiola Lauds Liverpool Boss Jurgen Klopp After Shock Announcement

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp shocked the world with his sudden announcement that he would step down from the position of the gaffer of the Merseyside team at the end of the season.

Following the bombshell announcement from the German, Manchester City boss and long-term rival, Pep Guardiola, hailed the 56-year-old.

“He’s an absolutely incredible manager, I don’t know him closely but I think he’s an incredible person as well,” Guardiola said during the presser following his side’s 1-0 win over Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Friday.

Klopp has been the leading figure in challenging Guardiola’s dominance during his time at the Manchester club, even winning the league title during the COVID-marred 2020 season.

“I have the feeling that when he leaves at the end of the season, part of us at Manchester City is leaving too. They have been our biggest rival, Liverpool in the last years,” the Spaniard acknowledged.

Klopp, who ended Liverpool’s 30-year wait for the English domestic league title, said that he decided to step down from the job as he was running out of energy.

“All the managers will feel tired when you’ve done many years, I feel it completely. I felt it at Barcelona so I understand it completely,” Guardiola said in support of Klopp’s decision to leave after a trophy-laden 9-year spell at Liverpool.

Guardiola lauded Klopp as his biggest rival ever since he came to the Premier League and joked that he would sleep a bit better ahead of his side’s games against Liverpool.

“He’s been my biggest rival so I think he will be missed,” Guardiola said.

“I am a little bit pleased because without him I will sleep a little bit better the night before we play against Liverpool but I wish him all the best. He doesn’t admit but he will be back,” the Spanish tactician said.