The best understanding, Guardiola supports Klopp's decision and understands it

Jürgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have defined an era in the Premier League, and perhaps in football as a whole. With the news that the Liverpool boss is calling it a day at the end of the season, many will wonder what comes next for the Manchester City coach. Having been appointed in October 2015, Klopp had just nine months at Liverpool without having to worry about Guardiola. The squad he inherited was in no fit state to compete for the highest honors although he did take it to the Europa League final in his debut campaign.

This is Lewis Koumas, the academy gem Klopp's soon to debut

As Liverpool peaked, so too did the juggernaut Guardiola had created at Manchester City, leading to undoubtedly the highest-level title races of all time. The standards are not quite so astronomically high this season, but Klopp is nonetheless enjoying one last dance with his old adversary, albeit with interloper Mikel Arteta not quite going away just yet.

In his snap reaction to the news, Guardiola admitted that it was impossible to define his period at Manchester City without reference to Klopp's Liverpool, while also predicting the German would not be gone for good. Speaking to TNT Sports, he has offered some more thoughts on the matter. “He will be back I’m pretty sure,” Guardiola predicted, doubling down on his initial opinion. “Where I don’t know, only he knows it. He will rest a little bit and relax and take the perspective because (when you are playing) every third day season after season, it’s difficult to take a perspective of what I’m doing, who we are, what I want in life.

"Sometimes to take a break is really good. He’s going to decide his best.” But will Guardiola soon feel the need for such a break? The Manchester City boss seems to have an unerring ability to find the motivation to keep going, even when his team has already won everything, so the Klopp news might not have any direct impact.

Jurgen Klopp came close to getting hurt by referee Tim Robinson

Guardiola's words

But his current contract ends in the summer of 2025. Let's say Klopp managed to stop Manchester City getting the fabled four-in-a-row, perhaps Guardiola would want a season to try and reclaim his crown, but then it's hardly beyond the realms of possibility that he bows out at that point. There's also the looming threat of the 115 Premier League charges, and the potential fallout from those. Guardiola is not immune to the feeling that an era is coming to an end. Only he can decide if he is ready to embark on a new one, with a new Liverpool manager as an adversary, but he said it himself sometimes a break is good.