"A big career ahead of him" - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp lavishes praise on sought-after 22-year-old star
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has heaped praise on Benfica forward Darwin Nunez ahead of their quarter-final second leg tie against the Portugal outfit in the Champions League on 13 April.
Nunez is currently one of the most in-demand forwards in European football. According to the Express, the 22-year-old Uruguayan international is wanted by Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Based on his current promise, Jurgen Klopp expects a lot from Nunez going forward in his career. However, the forward must remain injury-free to achieve the promise he is currently showing.
Speaking to the press ahead of Liverpool's game against Benfica, Jurgen Klopp was quoted as saying the following (via Fabrizio Romano's Twitter page):
“An extremely good looking boy, eh? He is a really good boy. He played in front of me battling against Konate. He was calm for the finish. He is good, really good. If he stays healthy, he has a big career ahead of him."
Darwin Nunez scored Benfica's only goal during their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Liverpool in the first leg of the UCL quarter-finals on 5 April. The goal from the Uruguayan forward brought the score down to 2-1 which invited pressure on Jurgen Klopp's side.
However, new arrival Luis Diaz scored a late third goal to hand the Reds the advantage going into the second leg at Anfield.
Liverpool will now be deemed favorites to secure a safe passage to the semifinals of the Champions League. The winner of this tie will face either Bayern Munich or Villarreal in the last-four stage of the tournament.
"He's extremely good looking....and a decent player as well" 😍
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp gushes over in-demand Benfica star Darwin Nunez https://t.co/tfOvH607FJ
Darwin Nunez is currently having a stellar season with Benfica. The 22-year-old forward has scored 31 goals in 36 appearances across all competitions, including 24 goals in 24 games in the league.
Liverpool have a couple of important games coming up as they look to win the quadruple
Liverpool are currently chasing an unprecedented quadruple after already winning the Carabao Cup earlier this year. The Reds are at a point in the season where every game is crucial if they want to keep their quadruple hopes alive.
Jurgen Klopp's side played title-rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on 10 April. The game at the Etihad Stadium ended 2-2, with Liverpool still one point behind league leaders Man City.
Following their quarterfinals against Benfica, the Reds will gear up to take on the Cityzens yet again on 16 April. The two sides have been drawn against one another in the semifinals of the FA Cup.
All us of watching City-Liverpool today 🍿
And we'll see it again in the FA Cup next week. https://t.co/6kWVZQTevW
It is worth mentioning that Jurgen Klopp has not won the FA Cup since taking over at Anfield back in 2015. This was also their first semifinal under the management of the German tactician.