Jurgen Klopp recently signed a contract extension with Liverpool which will ow keep him in charge till 2026. The German’s former deal was due to expire in 2024 but the fans will now enjoy his style for four more years. Moreover, congratulations were in order as Klopp’s rival Pep Guardiola was one of the firsts to send wishes to his Liverpool counterpart.
In other news, Mohamed Salah has won the Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year award. Pep Guardiola had his say here as well, congratulating the winger, and slightly taking a dig at Liverpool. Salah has scored 30 goals so far this season in 44 appearances, currently leading the Premier League’s top scorer’s chart. Moreover, the Egyptian has 14 assists to his name as well. While many may side with him winning the award, Pep had something more to offer.
Pep Guardiola sends best wishes to the Liverpool manager
Jurgen Klopp’s extension has come just at the right time. The Reds are fighting for an unprecedented quadruple this season under the German. Moreover, in his time till now Klopp steered Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years. Further on, Liverpool have been crowned as the Champions league, Super Cup, Club World Cup and League Cup champions under him. In his pre-match press conference ahead of Leeds, here’s how Pep Guardiola reacted to the news of Liverpool extending Klopp.
Guardiola started with, “Congratulations to Jurgen and Liverpool, it’s really good for the Premier League. I wish them all the best. Everyone has their situation and if we decide to stay longer, it’s because I decide not because my colleague Jurgen extended.”
Pep’s sarcastic response to Salah winning the award
On Mohamed Salah’s FWA award, Guardiola came up with a sarcastic reaction. The Reds’ winger won the award after exceptional displays this season. However, some may argue that Kevin de Bruyne should have had fair shot at the award. On being asked about the Liverpool winger winning the award, Pep Guardiola said, “Congratulations to Salah”. However, he further joked about Liverpool players always being the certain ones to win individual awards in England.
Pep said, “Jurgen said, they have the best keeper, the second-best second keeper in the world, the best central defender, the best holding midfielder, the best striker, so it’s normal they win all the awards”. Guardiola has provided somewhat of a same reaction earlier as well. Back in 2018 Salah pipped De Bruyne to the PFA Player of the Year award. Despite De Bruyne winning the league title, scoring 8 goals and providing 16 assists Salah won the award. Pep had suggested that the awards favour Liverpool player, irrespective of City winning the league.
Pep had said, “..From my point of view when you are analysing [the last] nine or 10 months, there was no player better than him (De Bruyne), in terms of the continuity, in terms of being there every three days of all competitions. I would like to feel that he deserves it but at the end, in the summer time, he will be at home, being a champion.”
Pep was asked about the same this time, that whether De Bruyne would be disappointed on missing out on the FWA award, to which he simply replied, “He’s won it before”. Meanwhile, City are on course for back-to-back league titles under Guardiola for a second time.
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