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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola admitted he sought Jürgen Klopp's blessing before appointing the German's former Liverpool assistant, Pepijn Lijnders, to his own backroom staff.
After Klopp and his team departed Anfield last summer, Lijnders took the reins at RB Salzburg. However, his tenure proved short-lived, ending in December.
Lijnders himself stated a year ago, upon leaving Merseyside, that he wouldn't assist anyone other than Klopp.
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What Guardiola said
"I had a long chat with Jürgen," Guardiola revealed, as reported by Sportal. "I mentioned I was considering Pepijn, and he spoke very highly of him.
"I took some time to reflect, and then, of course, I asked Jürgen's permission. I didn't want to interfere with their relationship. I asked if it would be a problem, and he assured me it wouldn't be. A day or two later, we made the final decision."
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"I've been fortunate with my assistants throughout my career. They've all contributed immensely and made me a better manager.
I'm confident Kolo Touré, and especially Pepijn, will do the same. We talk a lot about football and training. He inspires me," Guardiola admitted.
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