Former Liverpool Assistant Manager to Join Pep Guardiola at Man City – Report | OneFootball

Lijnders to Manchester City: A Tactical Shift That Will Sting Anfield

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

Lijnders’ Coaching Journey: From Merseyside to Manchester

Pep Lijnders was, for all intents and purposes, the tactical brain beside Jürgen Klopp’s 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.

But after Klopp’s 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. “He was sacked… and has been on gardening leave since,” The Times reported.

It’s clear Lijnders was looking for the right opportunity to rebuild his career. Manchester City, with its extensive resources and Guardiola’s high regard in the coaching world, represents just that.

Guardiola’s Rebuild: The City Machine Evolves Again

Manchester City are not standing still. With assistants Juanma Lillo and Íñigo Domínguez departing, alongside Carlos Vicens’ move to SC Braga, Guardiola has had to reshuffle his staff significantly. Enter Lijnders.

Photo: IMAGO

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’s methods, culture and matchday routines. Guardiola’s decision to bring in Lijnders may not be rooted in rivalry, but it is hard to ignore the symbolism. It feels personal.

As The Times wrote, “The recruitment of Lijnders… comes after the battles Liverpool and City fought when vying for the Premier League title over a number of seasons.”

It’s a sentence that encapsulates what this move represents. A master tactician joining the very team that was Liverpool’s fiercest rival in their era of Klopp-led dominance.

Missed Opportunities for Lijnders Elsewhere

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.

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

Kolo Touré had also been in the running for a coaching spot in Guardiola’s reshuffled setup, but the Catalan opted for the Dutchman instead.

What This Means for Liverpool

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’s culture. Seeing him in City blue feels like watching a family member celebrate Christmas with a rival household.

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.

Liverpool have moved on under Slot, but make no mistake, Lijnders’ appointment is one to watch very closely.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

For many Liverpool supporters, this is hard to swallow. It’s not just that Pep Lijnders is taking up a coaching role again – it’s that he’s doing so at Manchester City of all places.

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.

Lijnders was more than just an assistant. He was Klopp’s 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.

Arne Slot may have just won us the title, but this feels like a small emotional loss. Guardiola doesn’t make appointments lightly. He sees value in Lijnders – and that should tell us something. This isn’t just about filling vacancies. It’s strategic, and possibly disruptive for Liverpool if Guardiola extracts any advantage from his new acquisition.

For the fans, it’s not betrayal. But it is bitter.