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.
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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