Pep Guardiola Celebrates 1,000th Game Against Liverpool

After an illustrious managerial career spanning 18 years with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and currently Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is set to coach his 1,000th match this weekend.

It is fitting that the 54-year-old reaches this milestone against Liverpool, a team that has emerged as his fiercest competitor during his trophy-laden tenure at City.

In his tenth season at Manchester City, Guardiola has secured six Premier League titles, notably edging out Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool during the 2018-19 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Interestingly, in the two seasons where Guardiola did not clinch the league title—2019-20 and 2024-25—Liverpool triumphed, first under Klopp and subsequently with current manager Arne Slot.

While Guardiola has had a notable rivalry with José Mourinho during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid, he regards Klopp as the opponent who has challenged him the most.

Ahead of this historic match, Guardiola remarked: “If I were to choose one rival for this personal milestone, that I want to share with many people, they [Klopp’s Liverpool] would be the best. I’ve spent more time in this country than ever before. Barcelona had a profound impact on my life as a ballboy, player, and manager. Bayern was an incredible step as well. But Liverpool, especially under Jürgen, have been the biggest rivals in this country; it couldn’t be better.”

Guardiola acknowledges the significant influence Klopp has had on him, admitting that he misses competing against the 58-year-old. “In terms of Jürgen’s side or Pep’s side, I think we respected each other. I felt that Jürgen gave me a lot, and I miss him. He pushed me to think, work harder, and improve.”

Reflecting on his remarkable tenure as a manager, particularly in high-pressure roles at Barcelona, Bayern, and City, Guardiola highlighted the challenges of life on the sidelines. “The numbers are astounding. I don’t live with the mindset of counting, but when you reach a milestone and review your achievements, the victories and averages—not only in the Premier League but in the Champions League—it’s evident that we have accomplished remarkable things at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and here. Achieving this is incredibly challenging.”

As City looks to celebrate Guardiola’s milestone, they face Slot’s Liverpool in promising form, having lost only one of their last 13 matches in all competitions.

In contrast, Liverpool is experiencing a resurgence after a challenging period, winning their last two games following a streak of four consecutive league defeats against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Brentford. Goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch secured a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in their latest league fixture, while Alexis Mac Allister netted the sole goal in their recent Champions League win against Spanish giants Real Madrid.