Mourinho as the biggest rival? Not a chance, Guardiola has mostly greased Jose’s bread. But there’s someone better than the Spanish coach

Pep Guardiola doesn’t have many competitors with whom he has more losses than wins. In the press conference before the Manchester City vs Liverpool game, he was asked about his biggest rival. However, those who expected the Spanish coach to say the name Jose Mourinho were disappointed.

José Mourinho is short for a Spanish strategist

Mourinho was Guardiola’s second biggest rival as they faced each other in 25 duels. 12 times the Spaniard walked away victorious, 7 times the Portuguese. However, apart from one important win in 2010, when Inter went past Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals, he failed to record any more big victories.

After the Inter vs Barcelona clashes, we have witnessed many years of wild El Clásicas. However, the Catalan side has been utterly dominant under the current Citizens coach and out of 11 duels, Mourinho’s Real Madrid have won only twice.

Things were a little better in England when Mourinho first coached Manchester United and then Tottenham. In that period, it was 4:4. The last time the two rivals met was in February 2021, when Guardiola walked off the pitch after a 3: 0 win.

Guardiola vs Klopp? The German pulls the longer end of the rope

Guardiola has played the most duels with Jürgen Klopp, 28 in total with a record of 11 wins, 5 draws and 12 losses. On paper, he is therefore the Spanish coach’s biggest rival, which he confirmed at a press conference when asked if the German coach is his biggest rival.

“Yes, definitely, because we have faced each other a thousand times. I have improved thanks to him, he and his teams, here and in Dortmund, they have always been great rivals. They were good games for both of us, a positive attitude and always attractive football. He has made me a better manager, there is no doubt about that.”

Guardiola started a rivalry with Klopp back in 2013, when Dortmund beat Bayern Munich 4-2. On New Year’s Eve 2016, the first duel between the two coaches took place in the Premier League and once again the German coach won, Liverpool 1: 0.

In England, Klopp was often such a hard nut for Guardiola that he could not crack it for months. Now Manchester City has 2 wins from the last 2 duels, but before that they had 2 draws and 3 defeats against Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Klopp was at a big disadvantage in Dortmund, when the Munich side was much better on paper. In the Premier League, this difference has already changed somewhat. Even so, it can be said that the German coach is going into a mostly unequal battle, from which he is coming out better so far.

As early as Saturday afternoon, however, the stats could be evened out at 12:12. That is, of course, if Manchester City and therefore Guardiola win.

Source: Transfermarkt, Manchester City