Reported Liverpool target Fabio Vieira has labelled Jurgen Klopp’s side one of the “best in the world” after they thrashed his Porto side 5-1 in the Champions League last night, speaking to Eleven Sports, via Record.
Now, we don’t profess to have spies in the Estadio do Dragao dressing room but we’d imagine Sergio Conceicao, a defensively minded manager in the Jose Mourinho mould, would have asked his side to keep things tight, restrict the space and avoid major defensive blunders.
Best laid plans and all that.
For the third time in three years, Liverpool swaggered into the Dragon’s lair and emerged triumphant, raising its dismembered head aloft.
Klopp’s ravenous Reds battered Porto in 2018 and 2019 and repeated the trick last night, taking full advantage of a side that defended as if it was a Sunday League game.
Will Liverpool still rate Fabio Vieira after Porto thrashing?
At least Fabio Vieira could look himself in the mirror after a “bad, shameful” defeat – not our words, the words of a bruised, bristling Conceicao.
The Portugal U21 international was one of the few Porto players who did his coach proud, showcasing his supreme technical gifts with a gorgeous cross for Mehdi Taremi’s second-half consolation after coming off the bench for the injured Otavio.
According to Record, the subtle Vieira has plenty of admirers at Anfield and his fourth assist in six games this season is an indication why.
“We left this game sad, of course. We knew from the start it was going to be an extremely difficult game against a Liverpool team that’s one of the best in the world, with the best players in the world,” sighed Vieira, who was named player of the tournament at this year’s U21 European Championships.
“The instructions the coach gave me was to give the team my best, defensively and offensively. That’s what I tried to do.”
Two apiece from Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino and another from Sadio Mane mean Liverpool have six points – and eight goals – from their first two Champions League group-stage fixtures.
They’ll take some stopping.
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