Overview
- Lijnders, 43, replaced Juanma Lillo as Pep Guardiola’s assistant in June after six years as Jürgen Klopp’s No. 2 at Liverpool.
- He said Guardiola’s direct call and confidence in him removed any hesitation despite his long Anfield ties.
- Klopp urged him to accept the offer, joking he would take the assistant role himself if Lijnders turned it down.
- Standing in for Guardiola at Friday’s press conference, Lijnders praised his boss’s intensity and “game understanding from a different planet.”
- With City still in contention for four trophies and a trip to Spurs on Sunday, Lijnders anticipates a special Anfield return next week but says his mindset is to win.