Liverpool and Manchester City neutralized each other (1-1) at the top of the English championship standings. This result concludes the now legendary rivalry between Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, respective coaches of the Reds and Cityzens, who faced each other for the last time in the Premier League before the German’s departure at the end of the season.
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The final standoff between Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola resulted in no winner, a result reflecting their unique rivalry in English football. At the end of the shock of the 28th day of the Premier League, Liverpool and Manchester City parted in a draw (1-1), thus surely putting an end to the confrontation which has become legendary between the two coaches since 2015 in England.
Arriving nine months apart in the English championship – in October 2015 for the German and at the start of the 2016-2017 season for the Spaniard – the two technicians respectively took the reins of two teams separated by only 50 kilometers and who engaged in some of the most beautiful duels of the last decade.
“ The day before matches against Liverpool, it was always almost a nightmare », Launched Guardiola after Klopp’s surprise announcement. “ We cannot define our period here without him, without Liverpool. He’s the best rival I’ve ever had in my life “, he added. The Reds have in fact often thwarted the plans of City, ultra-dominant in the league with five of the last six titles won, except during the 2019-2020 season with the coronation of Liverpool, also runner-up in 2019 and 2022 with a single point. gap in the ranking.
Each crowned at least once in the three national cups – but often more – which are the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Community Shield, the two rivals have also won everything on the European scene by each winning the Champions League , UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup, in 2019 for Liverpool and 2023 for Manchester City. “ He is without a doubt the best coach I have seen in my lifetime “, declared the Liverpool coach on March 8, who had gotten to know his future biggest opponent in Germany when they were respectively at the head of Dortmund (2008-2015) and Bayern Munich (2013-2016).
Guardiola still in failure at Anfield
A final meeting with immense stakes between these two giants this March 10 at Anfield, where Pep Guardiola only won once in the league in 2021, while the two teams were only separated by only one small point before the start of hostilities and who therefore each left with the same gap in the ranking.
Unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League matches (10 wins and 2 draws), the Cityzens started the match by opening the scoring thanks to John Stones (23rd, 0-1), who propelled Kevin De Bruyne’s corner to the back of the net while Luis Díaz’s goal had logically been refused for offside a few minutes earlier (18th).
Despite attempts by Szoboszlai (31st, 45th+3), the Reds had to wait for Núñez to obtain a penalty on an error from Nathan Aké to see Mac Allister put the two teams back on level terms (50th, 1-1). In the final minutes, Jérémy Doku’s post made the Liverpool supporters tremble (89th), while Salah responded immediately with a shot that was too crushed to deceive Ederson (90th).
The two coaches obviously hugged each other at the final whistle, they who have always shown mutual respect. “ I know how difficult it is to win at Anfield. It’s also difficult at the Etihad, Liverpool haven’t won there for eight years, pointed out the Spaniard after the meeting. We are proving, on both sides, that we are incredible competitors. »
(With AFP)