“He does add that little bit extra” – Stewart Robson lavishes praise on Liverpool star ‘who can manipulate the ball’ ahead of Champions League final
Stewart Robson has singled out Thiago Alcantara for praise ahead of Liverpool's Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris this weekend.
Following a relatively slow start to life at Anfield, the 31-year-old midfielder has been a star performer for Jurgen Klopp's side this season, having made 38 appearances.
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The Spanish international is widely regarded as one of the best central-midfielders in the world. However, concerns were raised when he limped off during Liverpool's final league game of the season against Wolves. Speaking to ESPN FC, former Arsenal player Robson claimed:
“Yes, he's now the passer of the ball in midfield, they had a lot of energy with Wijnaldum in midfield, he wasn't a great passer of the ball but he was a player that got into the box, Henderson is high work rate, Keita is high work rate but Thiago is the player who can manipulate the ball, who can switch the play, so he does add that little bit extra for Liverpool.”
Thiago initially struggled to hold down a regular starting place for the Reds following his arrival from Bayern Munich in 2020 due to numerous injury problems.
However, the experienced midfielder has made a spot in Klopp's midfield three his own in recent weeks due to a flurry of class performances. He has played in all but two of his side's 16 final top-flight games of the campaign.
I genuinely believe Thiago being fit for Madrid could be the difference between winning and losing. We’ve nobody else like him. #LFC.
Jurgen Klopp offers injury update on Liverpool midfielder Thiago ahead of Champions League final
It has already been an extraordinary season for the Reds, as they claimed both domestic cups and finished just a point behind Premier League champions Manchester City.
Saturday's final against Madrid will represent an opportunity for the Merseyside club to exact revenge on the Spanish champions, following their 3-1 defeat in the 2018 final in Kyiv.
Thiago's absence would undoubtedly represent a huge blow for the Reds, with Klopp initially telling reporters (as quoted by The Express):
"I think he’ll be out of the final but I don’t know. He’s limping, so it’s maybe not the best sign."
However, days later, the German boss was asked again about the former Barcelona star's chances of making the Paris showpiece, to which the German boss claimed:
"I only met him inside, there's a good chance. It's surprisingly good. The good news overnight was that it was not that bad. He could be able to train tomorrow."
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Praying Fabinho & Thiago are in our midfield vs Real Madrid 🙏 #Liverpoolfc https://t.co/6JUcXFPDwa