Jurgen Klopp downplayed the altercation between Pep Guardiola and Darwin Nunez after Liverpool’s challenging match against Manchester City.
Following the 1-1 draw in the Premier League at Etihad on Saturday, Nunez engaged in a heated conversation with the City manager, prompting Klopp to intervene and guide Nunez away to prevent the situation from escalating. Other coaches also intervened.
Klopp doesn’t see it as an indication of escalating animosity between the two teams. He emphasized that there’s no underlying hostility but rather intense emotions. He highlighted that the post-match incident doesn’t reflect the strong historical rivalry between the clubs.
He mentioned, “It’s about emotions; it’s not about animosity between us. There’s no hostility, just competitive spirits. What transpired afterward doesn’t relate to the intense rivalry we’ve had previously. Darwin Nunez probably isn’t familiar with that.”
Klopp expressed his efforts to calm things down despite not being involved personally. He emphasized that such situations arise due to the desire to win and shared that both Guardiola and Nunez were disappointed with the result, leading to tense emotions.
Overall, Klopp believes there’s no underlying issue requiring resolution and attributes the incident to the emotions tied to competitive football.
