Guardiola Celebrates 1,000th Game Against Liverpool

Pep Guardiola is set to manage his 1,000th game as a head coach this weekend, marking a distinguished managerial career spanning 18 years at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and currently, Manchester City.

It is particularly fitting that the 54-year-old achieves this milestone against Liverpool, a team that has posed significant challenges during his successful tenure at City.

Now in his 10th season with Manchester City, Guardiola has secured six Premier League titles at the Etihad Stadium, notably finishing ahead of Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons.

In the two seasons where Guardiola fell short of winning the league title—2019-20 and 2024-25—Liverpool claimed victory, first under Klopp and then with current manager Arne Slot last season.

While Guardiola has had a storied rivalry with José Mourinho during their respective tenures at Barcelona and Real Madrid, he identifies Klopp as the rival who has challenged him the most.

Ahead of Sunday’s landmark match, Guardiola expressed, “If I were to choose one rival for this personal milestone, it would be Klopp’s Liverpool. It is fitting, given the impact Liverpool, and particularly Jürgen, have had on my career in this country.”

Guardiola reflected on his time in England, stating, “Barcelona had a profound influence on my life as a ballboy, player, and manager, while Bayern was a significant step in my journey. However, Liverpool, especially with Jürgen, has been the most formidable opponent in this country.”

The admiration between the two coaches is mutual; Guardiola admits he misses the competitive dynamic with Klopp, who has been out of management since leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2024.

“We respected each other immensely,” Guardiola noted. “Jürgen pushed me to think, work harder, and improve in order to compete with him.”

Reflecting on his remarkable longevity as a manager, which is especially noteworthy given the high-pressure environments at Barcelona, Bayern, and City, Guardiola acknowledged the inherent challenges of the role.

“The numbers are remarkable. While I don’t focus on them daily, reaching such milestones and contemplating the victories and averages in the Premier League and Champions League is incredible. Achieving this level of success is no small feat.”

As Manchester City prepares to face Liverpool, they are in strong form, having lost only one of their last 13 matches across all competitions. Meanwhile, Liverpool is experiencing a resurgence after overcoming a difficult stretch, winning their last two games, including a recent 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch.