Editor’s Column: Thiago is and always be a genius

Thiago Alcantara today announced what we’ve all known for months: that he’ll be leaving on a free transfer this summer.

There’s no way that new CEO of football Michael Edwards would have awarded a contract extension to a player on £250k/week that managed six minutes of football this season.

It’s a mindboggling stat, especially considering he missed the end of last season as well. He hasn’t played football for years.

“Before he even came to Liverpool I believed that if you really love football it would make a lot of sense if you watched Thiago Alcantara play,” said Jürgen Klopp today.

“Technically, he is so, so good. A talent who could play in any team in the world and it was a privilege to have him with us.

“I already knew a lot about him as a footballer before he got here – what he did at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, how could you not? – and I could not have been happier when he decided to take on a new challenge with us.

“From that point on I got to see him up close and all I can say is ‘Wow’. Most importantly, he was part of a new story and helped us develop as a team because of his special qualities.

“I know injuries have been a frustration for him and also for us but the level that he was able to play at when he was available was incredible. This is what I will remember.”

As ever, Klopp has summed it up quite well.

Thiago was a magician when fit. His outing against Manchester United in the 4-0 home win remains one of the best I have ever seen.

His debut against Everton perfectly set the tone.

He came on and dazzled at Goodison Park, with no fans at the ground due to the Covid regulations. Keeping the ball at will, feinting past opponents, spreading play and breaking lines with quick passes. Cruelly, he was snapped in injury-time and didn’t feature again until around Christmas. The pattern had already been set for his Liverpool career. Greatness coupled with injuries.

Other ludicrous moments included his goal against FC Porto in the Champions League, as well as his displays against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, where he was head and shoulders above a field of world-class players in the Wembley sun.

At that point, it looked like Liverpool would go on to win a quadruple, but it wasn’t meant to be and the Spaniard leaves having won an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Community Shield. He would have won a Champions League too if it wasn’t for the outrageous brilliance of Thibaut Courtois in Paris against Real Madrid, but football is a game of fine margins and Thiago’s Liverpool career will sadly always be regarded as ‘what could have been?’.

 

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