Pep Guardiola’s one-on-one interview reveals his belief in Jurgen Klopp’s eventual comeback to coaching, although he states that only Klopp himself is aware of the specific destination he will choose.

Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, has expressed his confidence that his rival Jurgen Klopp will return to management in the future. However, Guardiola emphasized that only Klopp himself knows where his next destination will be.

Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s match against Everton, Guardiola acknowledged Klopp’s decision to step down as Liverpool boss at the end of the season after nine successful years. Klopp’s tenure at Anfield saw him transform the club into one of Europe’s superpowers once again, winning numerous trophies including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FA Community Shield.

While Klopp has ruled out a return to the Premier League, Guardiola believes that he will eventually take charge of another team. In an exclusive interview, Guardiola stated, “He will be back I’m pretty sure. Where I don’t know, only he knows it. He will rest a little bit and relax and take the perspective because [when you are playing] every third day season after season, it’s difficult to take a perspective of what I’m doing, who we are, what I want in life. Sometimes to take a break is really good. He’s going to decide his best.”

The rivalry between Manchester City and Liverpool has been one of the standout fixtures in the Premier League over the past decade. Klopp’s Liverpool has often been City’s main competitor for the title, with the two teams pushing each other to their limits. While Liverpool claimed the title in the 2019/20 season, City has had to reach 90+ points on two occasions to come out on top.

When asked if Klopp had made him a better competitor, Guardiola responded positively, stating, “Absolutely. So many times, yeah. The dimension of success is the dimension of a rival. When a rival is not good enough, your success is not big enough. But competing with this Liverpool for many years – this one and the previous ones – and sometimes beat them, it shows how good we have done. It’s the same with them I think when they beat us. It is the best measure to realize what we have done as a team.”

The Manchester City versus Everton match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+ from 11:00 on Saturday, February 10, with kick-off at 12:30. Fans can subscribe to TNT Sports through various TV platforms such as discovery+, BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.