{"id":145098,"date":"2025-05-30T21:21:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T21:21:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/145098\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T21:21:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T21:21:23","slug":"former-liverpool-assistant-manager-to-join-pep-guardiola-at-man-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/145098\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Liverpool Assistant Manager to Join Pep Guardiola at Man City"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Join<\/a><\/p>\n

In a story first reported by The Times<\/a>, the revelation that Pepijn Lijnders, J\u00fcrgen Klopp\u2019s long-serving No2, is set to join Pep Guardiola\u2019s backroom team at Manchester City has sent ripples through both Merseyside and Manchester. This is more than just a coaching appointment. It\u2019s symbolic, significant, and stings more than Liverpool fans might like to admit.<\/p>\n

Lijnders\u2019 Coaching Journey: From Merseyside to Manchester<\/p>\n

Pep Lijnders was, for all intents and purposes, the tactical brain beside J\u00fcrgen Klopp\u2019s beating heart. During their time at Liverpool, the pair were inseparable, co-piloting the club through an era of sustained success. Together, they lifted seven major trophies including the Champions League and Premier League, building a team that could rival any in Europe.<\/p>\n

But after Klopp\u2019s emotional departure in May 2024, Lijnders chose a different path. He took the reins at Red Bull Salzburg but was unceremoniously dismissed in December after a poor start. \u201cHe was sacked\u2026 and has been on gardening leave since,\u201d The Times reported.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear Lijnders was looking for the right opportunity to rebuild his career. Manchester City, with its extensive resources and Guardiola\u2019s high regard in the coaching world, represents just that.<\/p>\n

Guardiola\u2019s Rebuild: The City Machine Evolves Again<\/p>\n

Manchester City are not standing still. With assistants Juanma Lillo and \u00cd\u00f1igo Dom\u00ednguez departing, alongside Carlos Vicens\u2019 move to SC Braga, Guardiola has had to reshuffle his staff significantly. Enter Lijnders.<\/p>\n

\"\"Photo: IMAGO<\/p>\n

Lijnders brings not only tactical nous but also intimate knowledge of how Liverpool functioned under Klopp. He is one of the few individuals who has been inside the inner sanctum of Liverpool\u2019s methods, culture and matchday routines. Guardiola\u2019s decision to bring in Lijnders may not be rooted in rivalry, but it is hard to ignore the symbolism. It feels personal.<\/p>\n

As The Times wrote, \u201cThe recruitment of Lijnders\u2026 comes after the battles Liverpool and City fought when vying for the Premier League title over a number of seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a sentence that encapsulates what this move represents. A master tactician joining the very team that was Liverpool\u2019s fiercest rival in their era of Klopp-led dominance.<\/p>\n

Missed Opportunities for Lijnders Elsewhere<\/p>\n

Before City came calling, Lijnders was reportedly considered for the Norwich City job but was overlooked in favour of Liam Manning. It seemed, at least for a time, that Lijnders might struggle to find a top-level opportunity following his Salzburg setback.<\/p>\n

This makes his appointment at City even more noteworthy. From the verge of Championship obscurity, Lijnders has leapfrogged back to elite football. He\u2019ll now be on the sidelines when City begin their Club World Cup campaign in the United States on June 18 against Wydad AC.<\/p>\n

Kolo Tour\u00e9 had also been in the running for a coaching spot in Guardiola\u2019s reshuffled setup, but the Catalan opted for the Dutchman instead.<\/p>\n

What This Means for Liverpool<\/p>\n

Even with Arne Slot having just delivered the Premier League title in his debut season at Anfield, this news cannot be welcomed without some measure of discomfort. Lijnders was deeply embedded in Liverpool\u2019s culture. Seeing him in City blue feels like watching a family member celebrate Christmas with a rival household.<\/p>\n

There will undoubtedly be concern about how much Lijnders may share with Guardiola. While unwritten rules and professional ethics are often cited, elite sport is about gaining any advantage, however marginal.<\/p>\n

Liverpool have moved on under Slot, but make no mistake, Lijnders\u2019 appointment is one to watch very closely.<\/p>\n

Our View \u2013 Anfield Index Analysis<\/p>\n

For many Liverpool supporters, this is hard to swallow. It\u2019s not just that Pep Lijnders is taking up a coaching role again \u2013 it\u2019s that he\u2019s doing so at Manchester City of all places.<\/p>\n

One can appreciate the professional motivations. After the debacle at Salzburg, his stock needed rescuing. But to align with the very team Liverpool battled neck-and-neck with for half a decade? That stings.<\/p>\n

Lijnders was more than just an assistant. He was Klopp\u2019s confidant, a visible presence on the touchline, and often credited with the tactical tweaks that saw Liverpool dominate Europe. His fingerprints are all over the Klopp era. And now, potentially, his hand will help City take another step forward.<\/p>\n

Arne Slot may have just won us the title, but this feels like a small emotional loss. Guardiola doesn\u2019t make appointments lightly. He sees value in Lijnders \u2013 and that should tell us something. This isn\u2019t just about filling vacancies. It\u2019s strategic, and possibly disruptive for Liverpool if Guardiola extracts any advantage from his new acquisition.<\/p>\n

For the fans, it\u2019s not betrayal. But it is bitter.<\/p>\n

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