Barcelona’s forward Robert Lewandowski has disclosed his preference between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola.
This Sunday, a pivotal clash between Liverpool and Manchester City is set to unfold, potentially shaping the trajectory of this season’s Premier League title race.
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This encounter holds heightened significance as it might mark the final showdown between the legendary managers Klopp and Guardiola.
In a surprising announcement in January, Klopp revealed his decision to depart Liverpool at the season’s end.
During his tenure spanning nine years at Merseyside, Klopp steered Liverpool to triumphs in the Champions League, FA Cup, and Premier League, ending the club’s three-decade-long drought in 2020.
However, evaluating Klopp’s legacy at Liverpool inevitably intertwines with Guardiola’s influence at Manchester City, as the two teams have dominated English football over the past five years.
Lewandowski stands as one of the select few who have had the privilege of playing under both coaches. The Polish international showcased his prowess, scoring 102 goals in 186 appearances under Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund and then 67 goals in 100 appearances under Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
When pressed to choose, Lewandowski favored Klopp over his Spanish counterpart.
While seaking to ESPN in 2020 the Poland international said: “I think Jurgen Klopp [is my favourite] and after that Pep Guardiola. 100 per cent. [Klopp] has two faces.
“You can see that he is kind of like a father, but the second part is like a coach, a manager.
“He can tell you everything – and I’m not speaking about the good things – about the bad things. Also for [players], he is a huge motivation.
“He makes this perfect because he knows where there is this line where he can [push you] more or a little bit less. His performance as a coach is amazing, but not only as a coach but also as a man.”
