Roberto Firmino has been ever-present since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival at Liverpool in 2015, and the Brazilian striker has revealed how his manager still “never stops” giving him advice.
Many expect this to be Firmino’s last season at the club, with the 30-year-old now in the final year of his current contract.
He arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2015, just a few months before Klopp was to replace Brendan Rodgers as manager, and has been an integral part of the club’s success in recent years.
All that success is due to the impact of the former Dortmund manager, who has transformed the Reds from top to bottom in the seven years he has been at the club so far.
Firmino came up against Klopp’s Dortmund while playing for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, and has revealed how the boss has become “a great father figure” in his time as their manager.
“Every time we faced Dortmund, Jurgen used to be in the middle of the pitch closely watching the opposing players warm up,” Firmino recalled, quoted by Echo.
“I looked at him and thought: what is going on? Is she trying to intimidate us? I found it interesting and it was always great to play against that team from Dortmund.
“Having him with us today is incredible. He keeps giving me advice. He is a great father figure to me here in Liverpool.
“I am very grateful to play and be coached by a great leader. I thank you for everything I have learned. I will always be very appreciative of everything he has done for me and also for the club”.
The Brazilian recently mentioned a century of goals for the Reds, netting twice in a 9-0 win over Bournemouth last month.
An on-and-off introduction to life at Anfield for Darwin Nunez, coupled with an injury to Diogo Jota, has seen Roberto Firmino heavily involved in the early stages of Liverpool’s season, having struggled with injuries for much of the previous campaign. .
Firmino has expressed delight at becoming one of the few players to reach 100 goals for the Reds and is keen for the team to rectify its disappointing start to the season.
“I am delighted to reach the milestone of 100 goals in a Liverpool shirt, representing such a great club,” he continued.
“I had some injuries that slowed me down last season. Thank God I am back this season, I feel good, very motivated for the next games and competitions in which we are competing.
“I hope to continue developing and improving continuously to give my best on the pitch, always looking to win matches and trophies with this team.”
“We haven’t started the season well, we’ve had some slips and three draws, but there are still many games and a long season ahead.
“We cannot lose enthusiasm or lower our heads. There is a lot of potential in our team. We trust our character and potential. We learn from our mistakes to avoid repeating them in future games. We are a great team, we know what we are capable of and we will continue fighting until the end of the season”.
The Liverpool number 9 is currently out on international duty with Brazil, who face Ghana and Tunisia in their final games before the World Cup.
