Liverpool midfielder Thiago said in an interview with Sky Sports that the 1998 League Cup match he watched at Anfield stadium was the only time he watched the game as a fan, which was one of his most memorable memories, and he also said that when he first came to the Premier League, he was surprised by the pace of the game here, and the team has encountered many difficulties this season, but he has not been discouraged.
This weekend, Liverpool will face crystal palace, the last opponent of the season, and Thiago will make his debut as a Liverpool player in front of an Anfield fans, and back in the 1998 UEFA Cup, his father represented Celta against Liverpool at the time, when Steve Gerrard and Carragher were still in Liverpool and seven-year-old Thiago enjoyed a wonderful game in the stands at Anfield.
"I've been obsessed with football since I was a kid, whether it's English football, Italian football or Spanish football, but that's the only experience I've had as a fan watching games on the pitch. It was one of my most memorable memories as it was also a very successful night for the team my father played for. Now, I want to have the same unforgettable experience in front of an incredible crowd of fans on this incredible stadium – just as a player. Thiago said.
Thiago's first year at Liverpool was not easy. He has had little rest after helping Bayern beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final last year, with Thiago suffering from a covid-19 infection in September and a knee injury in October. When he finally returned to the team in January, the team was in terrible shape. None of this, though, crushed Thiago.
"It's tough, but I think I've had worse moments in my life than that. Calm down, work hard, be resilient, and you'll be able to overcome all odds. Thiago said.
"Looking back on this season, we had a lot of difficulties in front of us and we had to overcome them. We have a lot of important players injured and we have to put together a new team and a new style – very similar to our original style, but the players are completely different. Ultimately, we've been fighting for a Champions League spot, so it's nice. ”
The situation was very challenging for Thiago as he had to adapt to a new country and a new league.
"At the beginning, I was amazed at the pace and long passes of Premier League games, where there are teams that really like to create important opportunities with long passes. At the same time, the faster the ball pushes forward, the faster it can return to its own half. ”
When Thiago talks about "rhythm", he's not referring to the speed of the race itself. "It's the same all over Europe, and I'm referring to the speed at which the race resumes at every node. Out-of-bounds balls, corner kicks, goal balls... In the Premier League, it's all happening at a faster pace and you have to adapt. When you think you can catch your breath, the ball is back on the field. ”
(pepe)