Pep Guardiola makes brutally honest Jurgen Klopp comment at Real Madrid's expense

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Liverpool IconLiverpool FC NewsFeaturesPep GuardiolaPep Guardiola has paid the ultimate tribute to Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool after Real Madrid knocked Manchester City out of the Champions League for a third successive seasonPep Guardiola speaks at a press conference(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)Pep Guardiola maintains that Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool presented the greatest test of his managerial career, despite Real Madrid eliminating Manchester City from the Champions League for a third consecutive campaign.Madrid defeated Man City 5-1 on aggregate in this year's round of 16, almost exactly 13 months after their 6-3 victory across two legs in last season's knockout phase play-offs, having also triumphed via a penalty shootout two years prior.The two sides have now met in five straight seasons, with Man City's sole triumph arriving back in 2023, when Guardiola led them to their first ever Champions League title.READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news as $10M bid for Salah replacement rejected and Barcelona open doorREAD MORE: Liverpool predicted line-up vs Galatasaray as key man set to return, Slot makes Ngumoha callThat 5-1 aggregate win came barely 12 months after a 6-5 defeat. Their elimination cost them the opportunity to face Klopp's Reds in Paris.Guardiola has encountered Madrid more frequently than any other opponent in the Champions League with Man City, 13 times altogether.

Yet Klopp's Liverpool remains regarded as the tougher proposition.When a Spanish journalist asked whether the fixtures against Madrid represented the biggest challenge of his career, Guardiola responded: "No," reports the Liverpool Echo.Pep Guardiola has insisted Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool has been his biggest test(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA, Getty Images)He continued, as translated from Spanish into English during the post-match press conference: "Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool was my biggest challenge, you almost don't realize what it was like to face Liverpool."Klopp holds Guardiola in similarly high regard. I can't believe you look that young, and you already reached this absolutely incredible landmark.Get LFC's 2025/26 season home and away kitsThis article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it.

But that's probably the only time when I arrived before you, so it's all good."I said it a million times, it was a pleasure, and it was an honour to face you that often during our careers. Most difficult games, but anyhow, the games I enjoyed the most because you were and you are an inspiration to all of us."The way you understand football is pretty much second to none.