Former "Liverpool", "Bayern" and "Barcelona" midfielder Thiago Alcantara has opened up about the major differences he experienced while playing under Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard said the two managers demanded very different things from their teams, even if both operated at the highest level of the game.
According to Thiago, Guardiola focused heavily on control. He said players were expected to follow clear rules as the team moved up the pitch, with more freedom only appearing once they reached the penalty area. In that system, structure and positional discipline were essential parts of the approach.
Klopp’s style, Thiago said, was almost the opposite. He described it as feeling comfortable inside chaos, with a strong physical team built to attack quickly and play forward with vertical passes. The goal was to keep the team as energetic and aggressive as possible.
Thiago added that one of the biggest strengths of Klopp’s side was the instant reaction after losing possession. He said the press began immediately, creating traps for opponents within seconds. The midfielder noted that he had never seen that kind of speed in transition anywhere else in his career.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
