Pep Guardiola has joked that life will be easier for him and Manchester City after Jurgen Klopp decided to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
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Guardiola reacts to Klopp's shock Liverpool exitSays he will 'sleep better' next seasonPredicts the German will return to managementGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Klopp's announcement on Friday that he would be calling time on his trophy-laden nine-year spell with Liverpool in May stunned world football and Guardiola paid tribute to his old adversary, who has brought out the very best in the Catalan coach, first with Bayern Munich and then with City.
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"I will sleep better. The days before playing against Liverpool were almost a nightmare," Guardiola told a press conference ahead City beat Spurs 1-0 in the FA Cup fourth round. "Of course he will be missed. I was shocked, like everyone, by the news. I felt a part of Man City would be lost. We cannot define our period here together without him and Liverpool – it is impossible."
'MY BIGGEST RIVAL'
"They have been our biggest rival and personally he has been my biggest rival from when he was at Borussia Dortmund and I was at Bayern Munich," Klopp added. "I think the Premier League is going to miss his charisma, personality and the way his teams play. They have always been a pleasure to watch how positive they are in their approach. They try to win every game. I wish him all the best. Liverpool is always tough."
'HE'LL BE BACK'
'Maybe it is an opinion that he will not admit but he will be back. I know it. Maybe in 10 years time, he may need to recharge his energy. With his personality and his energy, he will be back," Guardiola added. "National team, another team, I don't know but football needs personalities like him. It was a dream when we were together and hopefully next season we can have time to go to dinner together or a drink that we deserve to take."