Klopp heaps praises on Guardiola ahead of Liverpool-Manchester City clash

Bengaluru, Dec 31: Liverpool take on Manchester City in a firecracker of a match on the last day of the year at Anfield.

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The match also features two of the finest managers and tacticians in world football at the moment, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.

Klopp and Guardiola's history tracks back to their Bundesliga days when they were in charge of two of the biggest clubs in Germany.

Guardiola managed mighty Bayern Munich and Klopp was in charge of a Dortmund side which was rejuvenated by the manager himself.

After an equal head to head record at Germany, the two managers come face to face once again in the English Premier League.

Ahead of the match Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp heaped praises on Pep Guardiola and said: "He came here with open eyes. He could have had easier jobs in easier leagues, that is for sure.

"He could have gone everywhere. He wanted to come here. He was probably aware 100 percent of the big challenge.

"He knew he had a wonderful squad at Barcelona and a wonderful squad at Bayern but he had big influence on the way they played football.

"If you go to Barcelona as a new manager they will tell you: 'By the way, don't forget, we play like Pep Guardiola played.' That's the biggest influence you can have. Bayern loved the years he was there. He is a fantastic manager.

"Johan Cruyff started Total Football, but Pep made it perfect. He's an outstanding manager, 100 per cent. He's very influential.

"But the Barcelona style is not possible for each team you play. If a Sunday league team tries to play like Barcelona, they will find it difficult."

Klopp concluded the press conference by saying that irrespective of the outcome the match would be a spectacle.

He added: "If I wasn't sitting on the bench, I would buy a ticket 100 per cent."

OneIndia News