Pep Guardiola admits he misses 'main rival' Jurgen Klopp ahead of 1000-game milestone

Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola's rivalry has changed the course of English football. The Liverpool manager and his Manchester City counterpart have been known to be 'frenemies' and have fought out epic battles on the field.

Recently, Pep Guardiola admitted that he misses Jurgen Klopp as he prepares to take on his former rival’s old club in what will be the 1,000th match of his managerial career.

Pep Guardiola has named Jurgen Klopp as his “main rival” ahead of milestone match

The Manchester City manager believes it is only fitting that he reaches this milestone against Liverpool, the reigning Premier League champions, when the two sides meet on Sunday.

Guardiola shared several memorable title battles with Klopp before the German stepped down from his role at Anfield last year. Guardiola who has donw six Premier League crowns and the Champions League with City, said, “If I were to choose one rival for this personal milestone, that I want to share with many people, they would be the best.

“I’ve been longer than ever in this country. Of course Barcelona, the impact on my life as a ballboy, football player, manager, and so on is obvious and Bayern was an incredible step as well.

“But Liverpool, especially with Jurgen, have been the biggest rivals in this country and it could not be better, to be honest. So destiny decided that and it’s nice to live it.

“In terms of Jurgen’s side or Pep’s side, I think we respected each other. I had the feeling that Jurgen gave me a lot and I miss him.

“He gave me a lot in sense of, to beat that guy, how much I have to think and work and do it, to make it better.”

Over an 18-year coaching journey, Guardiola will mark his 1,000th game this weekend, a milestone made even more symbolic by facing Liverpool, the team that has consistently challenged him the most.

Guardiola has won 715 of the 999 games he has overseen since first being put in charge of Barcelona B in 2007.

Now in his 10th season with City, the 54-year-old has secured six Premier League titles, narrowly beating Klopp’s Liverpool in the 2018–19 and 2021–22 seasons. Interestingly, in the two campaigns where City missed out, 2019–20 and 2024–25, Liverpool lifted the trophy, first under Klopp and then under current manager Arne Slot.

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