"Such good ability on the ball" - Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos heaps praise on Liverpool duo ahead of Champions League final
Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has lavished praise on Liverpool's talismanic full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson ahead of Los Blancos' Champions League final in Paris against the Reds tonight (Saturday).
Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have been the best full-back pairing in Europe over the past few years, posting amazing attacking numbers and playing a key role in Liverpool's success. While the Englishman is known for his excellent deliveries and set-piece prowess, his Scottish counterpart on the left poses a huge attacking threat too.
Waxing lyrical about the Reds' dynamic full-backs, Carlos told Mirror Football:
"Alexander-Arnold is one of the very best full-backs in the world right now and the same for Robertson who is so well qualified in his position and has such good ability on the ball. He is such a great reference point for the team."
Since breaking into the first team in 2018, Alexander-Arnold has made 62 assists from 225 appearances across competitions, including a personal best of 19 this season.
He also holds the record for most assists by a full-back in a Premier League campaign with 13. The right-back set that mark during their historic 2019-20 title-winning run.
20 - Defenders of top five European leagues with most goals produced (goals+assists) in all competitions in 2021/2022:
20 - T. Alexander-Arnold (2+18)đ´ó §ó ˘ó Ľó Žó §ó ż
18 - A. Robertson (3+15)đ´ó §ó ˘ó łó Łó ´ó ż
16 - J. Clauss (5+11) đŤđˇ
16 - R. James (6+10) đ´ó §ó ˘ó Ľó Žó §ó ż
15 - J. Alba (3+12) đŞđ¸
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Robertson isn't too far behind with 52 assists from 223 games, including 45 in the Premier League from 161 outings. He has also overseen his best tally this campaign with 15 assists. Together, they have come to redefine the modern full-back position, which Carlos was also acclaimed for during his playing days.
Liverpool star Alexander-Arnold on cusp of second Champions League title
At just 23, Alexander-Arnold has won every major club trophy - the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. Tonight in Paris, he could get his hands on a second European title.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be appearing in his đđđđđż #UCL final by the age of just 23 đ¤Ż
Some other legendary full backs took slightly longer to reach that total đ https://t.co/2YktrrtlJG
Many legends of the sport haven't done so. Great players like Ronaldo Nazario, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluigi Buffon and Fabio Cannavaro never lifted the Champions League even once during their illustrious careers.
Playing in three finals of the competition at such a young age is truly remarkable. While it's down to a terrific team effort, Alexander-Arnold has been a key figure for Liverpool throughout.