ORLANDO, United States: Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said he understood Jurgen Klopp’s views after the former Liverpool manager described the Club World Cup as “the worst idea ever implemented in football.”
But the Catalan coach still wants his team to win the FIFA tournament, which has received much criticism following the new format expanded this summer in the United States, insisting that most of the complaints come from teams that did not qualify.
Klopp, who is now head of global football at Red Bull, told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that the tight schedule meant players had no time to rest mentally and physically, and were at high risk of injury.
“Jurgen, we’ve faced each other many times, I know where the idea came from, we talked a lot in England, when we went to UEFA meetings, especially about the Premier League, about the match schedule, to try to improve the quality,” Guardiola told reporters.
“So that the players can rest, the coaches can rest, then the quality of the game is better, so I’m not surprised, I understand it, I respect it.
“I have a good relationship with Jurgen, even though we are fiercely competitive… I understand his opinion, and I will defend it as well.”
City have advanced to the last 16 of the tournament and will face Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in Orlando tomorrow morning.
Guardiola said that although the tournament received a lot of criticism, he was still proud to be able to compete to win it.
“At the same time, we work in football, we follow FIFA, UEFA, the Premier League, Serie A… the coach will not organize the tournament, everyone has their own role to organize it,” explained Guardiola.
“I’ve said it many times, I’m very proud to be here, because in the end a lot of teams complain about this tournament just because they’re not here. Otherwise, maybe they’d like to be here too.
“Their journalists will be there, their supporters will be there, they will earn income here and they will be happy too.”
Manchester City have won six of the last eight EPL titles, while Liverpool have won two, including last season.
England coach Thomas Tuchel said Arne Slot’s Liverpool and Arsenal have an advantage over City for next season’s campaign because they have rested over the summer.
“I try not to think about it too much, otherwise I get too anxious,” Guardiola insisted.
“So I’m trying to stay calm, enjoy my time here, with the positive atmosphere and this tournament to try to win it.”