Pep Guardiola brought up Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp unprompted when asked about rivals Real MadridPep Guardiola maintains that Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp represents the greatest test of his managerial career despite Real Madrid eliminating Manchester City from the Champions League for a third consecutive campaign. That 5-1 aggregate victory came barely 12 months after a 6-5 defeat that denied them the opportunity to face Klopp's Reds in Paris. When questioned by a Spanish journalist whether the fixtures with Madrid have been the greatest test of his career, Guardiola responded: "No." He continued, as translated from Spanish into English during the post-match press conference: "Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool was my biggest challenge, you almost don't realise what it was like to face Liverpool." Most difficult games, but anyhow, the games I enjoyed the most because you were and you are an inspiration to all of us.

Source: Express March 18, 2026 10:16 UTC