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It was the night that kicked off one of the most golden ages in Liverpool’s history.
Just over three months after the heartbreaking loss to Real Madrid in Kiev, the Reds began another Champions League campaign that this time sparked euphoria in Madrid.
Having broken that glass ceiling of winning their first trophy, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool then broke into a first national title in thirty years winning 26 of their first 27 matches to win the Premier League by a whopping 18 points.
The train got under way however for a dramatic night at Anfield two years ago today, which saw the first appearance of a midfield axis that would be key to both trophy wins.
And ironically, Liverpool are now on the verge of making their most significant addition to the squad, in midfield or elsewhere, since that day they approached a deal for Thiago Alcántara of Bayern Munich.
It’s easy to get cynical about the obsession many modern soccer fans have with transfers, with some almost seeming to prefer them to goals, wins or trophies.
However, the right move at the right time can really lift spirits at a club and that was certainly the case when Liverpool announced the purchase of Brazilian midfielder Fabinho.
Less than 48 hours had passed since the final Champions League defeat in Kiev and, and with many Liverpool players still making the long way home from Ukraine, the Reds announced that they had completed the £ 43.7 million signing. of the 24-year-old AS Monaco player. .
In many ways it was the polar opposite of the Thiago deal, with little to no speculation linking the Reds to a move for the player until it was announced as a ‘fait accompli’ – a welcome throwback to swashbuckling deals. than Liverpool. It used to be famous around the time of Bob Paisley and the revered former club secretary Peter Robinson.
With much of the fallout from Kiev focusing on Liverpool’s perceived shortcomings in the midfield, it was just the news that many fans wanted to hear and it gave everyone a boost ahead of a summer break that could have been filled with sadness and regret. .
Thiago is a red!
A deal of more than 20 million pounds has brought the midfielder to Anfield, and he is ready to play for Jurgen Klopp.
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In reality, Fabinho did not have an easy start to his career at Anfield.
Having made regular appearances during the preseason, he missed a penalty in the final friendly match against Torino after a prolific time from the post during his stint at Monaco.
After not appearing in either of the first two Premier League games against West Ham and Crystal Palace, Jurgen Klopp mentioned why he hadn’t yet unleashed his new billionaire midfielder and revealed that the player had responded positively by being out.
Fabinho hadn’t even been on the squad for the 2-0 win at Selhurst Park, but Klopp said he didn’t fear the Brazilian’s ability to acclimate to English soccer.
“It’s about the players understanding the position and who else is available as well; otherwise, Fabinho would have been involved in the team as he was the first week,” Klopp said.
“That’s all. It’s a different football from what he’s used to, but he’s already improving with great strides. I see that in sessions and that’s great.
“You see Andy Robertson running around here at Melwood now and he’s a completely different person than he was here in the first three months. That’s how he is, but everything will be fine.
“Fabinho is used to playing at a high level in France. It’s not about who we play against, but how we play. It sure isn’t good for a new player. It never was, but everything is fine.”
Fabinho himself admitted that he was taking his time to recover and was receiving advice from his fellow midfielders.
“I am aware that it is a different style of play than Monaco,” he said.
“There were two in midfield there, whereas here in Liverpool there are usually three.
“My midfield teammates have provided me with guidance and assistance. Also defense.
“As a new player here, I am looking forward to getting to know this league. Making my debut will also be a positive thing.
“The Premier League has a lot of intensity, a lot of physicality. I could see that in some friendlies we played against other English teams this summer. But I hope to adapt as soon as possible. I’ll give my all. “
After another absence from the bench in the win over Tottenham at Wembley on September 15, Fabinho finally made his debut three days later and entered as a late substitute for Sadio Mane against Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League.
He may only have been on the field a very short time, but it was a crucial few minutes in Liverpool’s season, and a broader development, as, having seen the French team return to level from two goals less, the compatriot Fabinho’s Roberto Firmino scored the 92nd one-minute winner that proved invaluable for qualifying for the knockout stages that was only secured with a victory on the last day over Napoli at Anfield.
The Brazilian still took a while to recover, but when Liverpool embarked on a record December in which they won all eight games they played for the first time in club history, he was firmly established in defensive midfield. Role and demonstrating the attributes that had tempted Klopp to take him to Anfield, his sublime chip pass to Sadio Mane’s opener against Manchester United in the middle of the month proving there was more to his game than just being a destroyer.
However, his power in the middle of the park was never better illustrated than his crunchy tackle on Luis Suárez just moments after Liverpool took the lead in the epic Champions League semi-final comeback with three goals against Barcelona later that day. season.
Reds fans will now be intrigued to see how their new midfield recruit Thiago Alcantara will fit into the Reds’ engine room.
With Captain Jordan Henderson, the versatile Gini Wijnaldum, the revitalized Naby Keita, the tireless James Milner and the young Curtis Jones vying for places, Jurgen Klopp has many options at his disposal and will most likely need them given the compressed nature of this season. due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
At first glance, that could mean Thiago might have the time to recover as Fabinho needed, but fans of Klopp and Reds are hoping for that, as the Spaniard is five years older than the Brazilian when he arrived and is a serial trophy. winner, he is able to start running to help Liverpool maintain dominance now that they are there to be defeated as champions.
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