Thiago Alcantara’s spectacular strike in Liverpool’s win over Porto in the Champions League is the latest example of the midfielder proving former Reds hero Didi Hamann wrong. Hamann had raised doubts over the Spaniard’s suitability for Jurgen Klopp’s side amid his struggles to adapt to the Premier League last season.
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Thiago's goal helped to secure a fifth successive Champions League win for Liverpool (Image: Express Sport)
That strike is the latest evidence of Thiago proving former Liverpool star Hamann wrong, with the German having raised doubts about him soon after his arrival last season.
“I just feel that Thiago… everyone was raving about him coming to Liverpool but he’s hardly played,” Hamann told talkSPORT in January.
“He is a good player, he is a skillful player, but there was never a time in Munich where people said, ‘he’s got to be the first name on the team sheet’. So I’m very cautious when it comes to Thiago.
“He likes to be in possession, but Liverpool were always good when they were not in possession, and then when they got in possession they played it quickly forward, and he’s not that type of player.”
Hamann did not believe Thiago was a good fit for Jurgen Klopp's system (Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp certainly does not support Hamann’s view, insisting after the Porto win that the goal was something Thiago has always been capable of.
“Whoever sees Thiago in training knows he has the technique to do it but it doesn’t happen constantly,” he said.
“It was a thunderball, a great goal. We needed some luck, they came through and had some big chances but didn’t score, and we scored twice and controlled the second half.”
The Reds had already secured top spot in their group heading into the visit of Porto, but Wednesday’s win did move them 10 points clear of their second-placed opponents.