Pep Guardiola fought back tears while paying tribute to outgoing Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after the German called him the world’s best manager.
On Friday, Klopp said the former Barcelona boss was the “best manager in the world” and added if you put any other manager in the City dugout “they don’t win the league four times in a row”.
After City secured their fourth-straight Premier League crown following a 3-1 win over West Ham, Guardiola heaped praise on the German – who is leaving for pastures new this summer.
After the match, Guardiola said: “I will miss him a lot. Jurgen has been a really important part of my life. He brought me to another level as a manager. We respect each other incredibly. I have the feeling he will be back and thank you so much for his words but he knows that behind me there is a lot that this club provides me with, otherwise alone I can’t do it. I’m humble enough to understand that.
“I wish him all the best and hope his final game was special, he deserved it. He made Liverpool recognised with his stamp, and the incredible pride of being a Liverpool fan.
It’s not just about titles, there are personalities that when they arrive in one place they stay forever and Jurgen and Liverpool will be part of the level of [Bill] Shankly and [Bob] Paisley and these incredible legends.”
Klopp won the Premier League, Champions League, and a host of domestic cups during his nine-year spell at Anfield, and Guardiola has won a whopping 17 trophies during his time at City. Both will, arguably, be remembered among the greatest managers of all time.
While it is not yet known what is in store for Klopp after finishing his time at Liverpool, Guardiola will prepare his City side for one last push as they take on bitter rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final next Saturday.