Arne Slot Cites Klopp-Guardiola Rivalry as Key Factor in Joining Liverpool

In his first interview as Liverpool manager Arne Slot noted that it was animosity between Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola that made him sign for the Anfield based club. In May, it was Woodward who declared Slot as the chosen successor of Klopp. The new German ‘god’, Klopp, spent nine years at Anfield and he secured only one Premier League and the same number of times, they finished second to Guardiola’s City by a point, although City trumped the Reds in the 2016 EFL cup.

Arne Slot Cites Klopp-Guardiola Rivalry as Key Factor in Joining Liverpool

Although the clash between Messi and Ronaldo is considered the ultimate enmity, Slot, who turned down the Premier League in 2023 when he was linked to Tottenham, says this confrontation between the two managers has become a new appetite for Europe as the Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry lost its value.

“I believe for anyone who is an ardent follower of football, it was very entertaining to see both of them feature and get the best out of each other,” said the Dutchman to Liverpool’s official website.

They arrived just in front of Liverpool and, as I was imparting to you the history of rivalry between both City and Liverpool football clubs and the many matches that the football lovers like you and I witnessed, it was not a very herculean task to make this shift.

The player was 45 years old at that time and he had three years at Feyenoord, and he wanted to spend one more year with Feyenoord but the arrival from Liverpool changed that.

Klopp was asked about it after his appointment from the Dutchman but explained he’ll bring his tactics to the club.

“He has more than once offered me some valuable insights, but I suppose what mattered most to me was that he was happy for me, and that – and if I remember correctly, he also said this in an interview: He will be my biggest fan from now on because he is a Liverpool supporter, and you do not get people like this very often. ”

Slot, who said that he had watched some videos of training sessions of Klopp after he joined Liverpool, will be in charge of the Reds for the, first time in a friendly match against Real Betis on 27th July.