Manchester City have been knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid for a second successive season, but there is one team who have challenged the club more over the years, according to Pep Guardiola.
The one consolation for Manchester City of no longer being in the Champions League is that they cannot possibly draw Real Madrid again this season.
City got the better of the Spanish team in the league phase, but were beaten heavily in their last 16 tie.
However, there is still one club who Pep Guardiola believes have been an even sharper thorn in his side, during his time in Manchester.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are the toughest team Pep Guardiola has faced
Man City and Real Madrid may have had their fair share of clashes in Europe, but there have been even more meetings between the Citizens and Liverpool.
Although Guardiola struggled to come up with the answers against the La Liga outfit, he still sees the Liverpool team managed by Jurgen Klopp as City’s biggest competitor in his 10-year tenure.
He told AS TV: “No, Klopp’s Liverpool,” when asked if Los Blancos were the greatest challenge he had faced at Man City.
“You were in Spain,” he told the Spanish reporter. “You don’t know what that was like. Real Madrid. They’ve knocked us out more, we have similar stats, but they know how we’ve played.”
Man City are facing a new challenge
Liverpool have certainly given Man City some problems in recent seasons and the Reds would say the same about Guardiola’s team.
However, City have a new rival in Arsenal, with both teams battling each other for the Premier League title this year.
The Sky Blues have got the better of Mikel Arteta’s men in the past, but this year it looks like the tables could be turning.
Still, both teams have a 50/50 chance of winning the Carabao Cup and Man City must ensure they are the ones who walk away from Wembley with the trophy.