Jurgen Klopp is the manager Pep Guardiola has encountered the most.
Over the course of their careers, the two coaches have faced off 28 times.
Guardiola and Klopp have met over Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

There is no manager that Pep Guardiola has battled with on the touchline more often than Jurgen Klopp.

The current Manchester City boss has enjoyed some thrilling tactical battles with the German during their days in the Bundesliga and now the Premier League, clashing 28 times throughout their illustrious careers.

While Klopp boasts more wins in meetings between the two coaches, the Spaniard has still been on the right side of some emphatic victories over the years as the two fight for managerial supremacy.

Here are just some of Guardiola’s greatest wins over Klopp.

Having lost his first ever meeting with Klopp in the DFL Supercup earlier in the 2013/14 season, Guardiola got his revenge several months later when his Bayern Munich side travelled to Signal Iduna Park in the Bundesliga.

Fighting for another Meisterschale, Dortmund had a night to forget in Der Klassiker, losing 3-0 at home to the their Bavarian visitors.

After a goalless first half, it was the bitterest of blows for Dortmund with two-thirds of the game played. Mario Gotze, who had joined Bayern in the summer, got his name on the scoresheet, while late goals from Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller punished the hosts as they searched for an equaliser.

Despite Dortmund beating Bayern at the Allianz Arena by the same scoreline later in the season, Guardiola would guide his side to another Bundesliga title during his first season in Munich.

Having already beaten Dortmund to the Bundesliga title, Guardiola also helped Bayern past their

Klassiker rivals in the 2014 DFB Pokal final.

It proved to be one hell of a slog for Bayern, with the Bavarians needing two extra-time goals to see off

Dortmund at the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Robben opened the scoring after the 107th minute to put one

Bayern hand on the trophy, with Muller sealing the victory in the 123rd minute as Guardiola grabbed his

second title following his arrival in Munich.

With their German encounters long behind them, it took Guardiola a few games to get the better of

Klopp in English football. However, after failing to win his first two clashes against Liverpool as Man

City boss, his opening victory was worth the wait.

City romped home to an enormous 5-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium in 2017 in Guardiola’s biggest win

over Klopp. A day to forget for Sadio Mane was a day to remember for Leroy Sane, the former seeing red

early on after his high boot caught Ederson in the face and the latter bagging a late brace.

Gabriel Jesus had also grabbed himself a double after Sergio Aguero’s opener, with Liverpool left licking

their wounds following an understandably one-sided affair.

This was effectively the game that won Manchester City the 2018/19 Premier League title ahead of

Liverpool, meeting in winte at the Etihad Stadium.

A gut-wrenching evening for Liverpool fans, the match got off to a rotten start for the Reds with John

Stones clearing off the line despite the ball being just 1.12cm away from giving Klopp’s side the lead. The

visitors were duly punished, Aguero firing City in front with a venomous strike.

Despite a valiant second-half response from Liverpool as Roberto Firmino headed in from Andy

Robertson’s cross, it was Klopp’s fellow countryman Sane that proved the thorn in the Reds’ side once more.

The winger struck a ferocious effort beyond Alisson to give the hosts the lead, Guardiola’s men holding

on for a crucial victory given they finished just a point ahead of the Reds in the title race.

Liverpool 1-4 Manchester City – February 2021

 

Amid Liverpool’s centre-back injury woes during the 2020/21 season, City managed their first and only

win at Anfield under Guardiola. The Reds’ title defence was in tatters and the Cityzens took full

advantage.

Played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, City prospered in front of an empty Kop.

Mohamed Salah’s penalty had cancelled out Ilkay Gundogan’s opener, but the German grabbed a second

ten minutes after the Liverpool winger’s equaliser.

Former Red Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden then added another two as Liverpool collapsed, with

Guardiola’s side sending a firm statement on their way to reclaiming the Premier League title from the

Reds.

Another season in which Liverpool were stumbling, Manchester City grabbed a second dominant 4-1 win

over the Reds in 2022/23.

It was another emphatic victory for Guardiola. After Salah had given Liverpool a surprise lead, Julian

Alvarez grabbed City an equaliser before half-time.

The second half was far more conclusive from the Cityzens, Kevin De Bruyne, Gundogan and Jack

Grealish adding their names to the scoresheet as they humiliated the Reds at the Etihad.

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Liverpool can succeed with Prem swoop as club’s best player admits ‘I can go higher’; Euro giants must be overcome

Liverpool could finally sign Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha after the star made a big hint about a move away from Fulham, although Jurgen Klopp’s side will have to fend off Bayern to complete the transfer.

 

Liverpool were keeping tabs on Palhinha as he rose to prominence during his time at Primeira Liga

club Sporting. However, rather than move to Anfield, Palhinha ended up going to Fulham in a

£20million deal.

That move has proven to be a masterstroke from the Cottagers. Palhinha has established himself as one

of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League, and he is arguably the most important player at

Marco Silva’s disposal.

According to FBref, Palhinha has made the most tackles out of any player in Europe’s big five leagues so

far this term, with 52. The next Premier League star on the list – Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro

Porro – is way down in eighth spot, with 39 tackles made.

As per WhoScored, Palhinha has been Fulham’s best player so far this season, as he is the only one to pick up an average rating higher than 7 (7.06, to be exact).

Liverpool were linked with the 28-year-old over the summer, as Klopp looked to engineer a midfield

rebuild following the departures of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and

Naby Keita.

The Reds ended up landing alternative midfielders, and Palhinha then became a target for Bayern instead. The German titans agreed a £55m deal with Fulham, but the transfer did not go through as Fulham could not secure a replacement in time.

Palhinha remains a top target for Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel ahead of the January window. Although, the battle-hardened midfielder may end up staying in the Premier League, as Liverpool re-entered the race for him last month.

Joao Palhinha discusses future amid Liverpool, Bayern interest

Palhinha is currently away on international duty with Portugal. At a recent press conference, he was

asked about his future.

While the 23-cap international is not sure where he will end up, he has claimed he ‘can go higher’ than

his current team, which will delight potential suitors Liverpool and Bayern.

“I don’t know what will happen in the future. Obviously it [the failed Bayern move] really affected me

and my family, but that’s all in the past, I don’t want to think about it too much,” he said (via O

Jogo and Sport Witness). “It’s a great source of pride, you know what happened. In my life everything

that has happened has been for a reason, I like to think of it like that.

“The future will tell me whether what happened was really what had to happen or not, but only the

future will show me that. I want to keep going the way I’ve been going, nobody has given me anything

throughout my career, everything I’ve achieved is down to my worth, my work. I hope it stays that way.

“I’m 28, but I know I can go higher and I’m looking to the future with that ambition.”

After Palhinha’s switch to Germany fell through, his brother Goncalo said: “They didn’t kill the dream,

they just postponed it. Very proud of my brother and the player I represent.

“Words of appreciation, recognition and thanks to the entire Bayern structure. The affection for the club in our family will remain forever even though my brother didn’t sign.”

Of course, Liverpool do already have Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, all of

whom can operate in the defensive midfield role. Although, Mac Allister and Gravenberch may be better

suited to a more advanced midfield position, which could leave space in the squad for a traditional No 6

like Palhinha to arrive at Anfield.