“Never thought about taking anyone’s place” Diogo Jota on completing his 1 year with Liverpool
Diogo Jota arrived at the Liverpool football club as a surprise package. Completing his signing on the deadline day, the Portugue arrival cost the club around £45million.
However, many doubted on the 24-year-old midfilder’s ability and the worth he carries for the price he was bought. But he proved the doubters wrong with his ability to bring depth to the Liverpool front row and scored the crucial goals when needed.
His ability to score goals helped the Reds in an injury-prone season last year. It has been a year since he scored a debut goal for the Reds and he will be facing his former side Porto FC today.
Diogo Jota expressing his thoughts on completing his 1 year journey with Liverpool
On his first year as a Liverpool player…
Well, 12 months like you said, it’s already a mark. I think playing for this amazing club with such surroundings like Anfield, so much support all over the world, it’s special. In the end, all we players want to provide to every person [with] is to win football matches and to win competitions. So, we are at the start of a new season and we will go for everything.
Diogo Jota On how much he has learned and improved in the last 12 months with Liverpool…
Well, I think I always try to do my best in terms of being on the pitch, being able to help my teammates. That’s always what I try to do and I think playing under Jürgen and with this team, it helped me as well because we played a lot of attacking football and me being an attacking player I take advantage of that because I’m always around the goal.
On hoping to help Liverpool to more Champions League success this season…
Yeah, I had the opportunity to see how it is to play in a full Anfield on a European night. I think it was massive for me, it was my first experience – I knew it was going to be, but when you are really there that’s when you really learn. I think in the first half AC Milan, although they were winning I don’t know how… we did a fantastic first half and the fans there really pushed us and they are really useful to our style of game.
On arriving at the club and his thoughts on how he could get into a team containing Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah…
“Obviously I knew they were one of the best-attacking trios in the world but I never thought about coming and taking anyone’s place. I thought about coming and giving my best in training and in games, and then it is up to the manager to decide. I think it’s always useful when you have those kind of players to help you, because in the end what we want is to win and only if you have good players you are able to do that.”
Diogo Jota has scored 3 goals for Liverpool in all competition so far in this season. While his acumen and presence in the box always provides a threat to the opponents. Moreover, belonging from the land of the Portugues star Cristino Ronaldo, Jota does have a flavour of scoring from headers.
