Pep Guardiola said he believes Jürgen Klopp will “come back” despite his decision to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.
Klopp will end his nine-year stint at Anfield, citing exhaustion as the reason for his decision, and has hinted he may never return as manager.
However, Guardiola believes that his long-time rival, whom he will face when Cheap Manchester City Football Shirts faces Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, will eventually return to coaching.
“I fully respect his decision,” Guardiola told a press conference on Friday.
“I spoke to him and I had a feeling he would be back later. He loves football. His passion is still there. He explained perfectly the reason why. So in the Premier League it will be the last time [we meet], but maybe in the FA Cup we can find another one. We’ll see.”
Guardiola and Klopp have shared the last six Premier League titles – City have won five and Cheap Liverpool Football Shirts second – and are back in the battle for top spot along with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Although Cheap Manchester City Kids Football Shirts have won more silverware under Klopp at Anfield, defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has said Liverpool’s success “means more because both clubs are in better financial situations”.
Both Erling Haaland and Rúben Dias have since hit back at Alexander-Arnold, who is injured and will miss Sunday’s game, but when the question was put to Guardiola, the City boss refused to intervene.
“I wish him a speedy recovery and hope he returns to the pitch as soon as possible,” he said.
Guardiola also said his players did not need Alexander-Arnold’s comments to fire themselves up for the match scheduled as an early title decider.
“Do you think they want to fight because Erling [Haaland] and Rúben [Dias] are talking?” he said.
“Without these talks we won’t fight? We are there and after what happened the last few years, we are trying to play a good game.”
