It will be an all-Premier League blockbuster as Liverpool and high-flying City go head-to-head for a place in the semi-finals of Europe’s premier club competition.
Liverpool are the only team to have beaten runaway leaders City in the Premier League this season – prevailing 4-3 in January.
Klopp is ready to take down Guardiola again, but knows exactly how hard his side will have to play to beat City over two matches.
“Two very intense games,” Klopp said. “If they are not intense from our point of view we have no chance.”
Klopp and Guardiola have a long history against one another, with the two having gone head-to-head in Germany as managers of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund before resuming their rivalry in England with Liverpool and Man City.
The German boss has a strong record against Guardiola as well, having won more times than he’s lost in 12 meetings, though the City boss did take the most lopsided win early in the Premier League season when his side took a 5-0 result against the Reds.
Still, Klopp has plenty of reason to be optimistic about his side’s chances, and he feels like Liverpool have everything they need to come out on top.
“If we can put our specific style, philosophy and mix it up with our attitude and stuff like this, being brave, then there is something in it for us,” the German added.
“I love these games. They are fantastic for me and you know if you play City they do what they do at the highest level. They don’t defend the result, they go again. It’s cool.
“For sure the first one will be a really exciting game to watch.”
Liverpool will host the quarter-final first leg April 4 at Anfield, before travelling to Manchester’s Etihad Stadium six days later.
