“They are a team who like to play long balls.”
Fernandinho has confused Liverpool fans ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg. Liverpool take a 3-0 lead into the match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, and Pep Guardiola’s side will need to do something extremely special to advance to the semi-finals.
Liverpool overwhelmed City at Anfield last week, scoring three times in a frantic first-half. Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane got the goals, and the Premier League’s top team couldn’t live with the intensity of Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Before the second-leg on Tuesday, Fernandinho and Guardiola spoke to the media, and the City midfielder managed to leave Liverpool supporters perplexed with his comments.
The Brazilian told reporters that Klopp’s team “like to play long balls.”
Fernandinho: "We played them 3 times this season. We beat them 5-0 at home. They are a team who like to play long balls. "
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) April 9, 2018
Fernandinho: "Our fans will be together with us, and we are going to fight to the end.
"Liverpool are a team who like to play long balls, fighting for the balls, keep the players around the middle. We will be ready tomorrow to apply our kind of game." #LFC #MCFC
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesgoal) April 9, 2018
Fernandinho: “They (Lfc) are team that like to play long balls.”
???????— Chris Bascombe (@_ChrisBascombe) April 9, 2018
Fernandinho suggests Liverpool play long balls. Danilo claimed United played long balls. Wigan were also accused of playing long balls when beating City….
— Mark Ogden (@MarkOgden_) April 9, 2018
Liverpool certainly aren’t a long-ball team. All three of their first-choice forwards – Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah – are under 6ft and would, therefore, make terrible target-men. It’s also rare to see any Liverpool player hit an aimless long ball and their own defence has often come undone by this tactic.
When reading Fernandinho comments, it’s worth keeping in mind that he’s not speaking in his first language, and his concept of a “long-ball” might not be the same as ours. It’s possible that the City midfielder meant that Liverpool are good at winning second balls, as they were often first to loose balls during the match last week – Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal came after James Milner won a tackle on the edge of City’s penalty area.
It’s highly unlikely that Fernandinho actually believes Liverpool are a Tony Pulis-style long ball team. But, his comments sparked an inevitable reaction.
So, Fernandinho thinks Liverpool are a long ball team 🤔 pic.twitter.com/wtnJ5z4y7G
— Spion Kop (@TheKopHQ) April 9, 2018
Fernandinho calling Liverpool a long ball team. Someone’s clearly still bitter.
— Levi Hartley (@LeviHartley) April 9, 2018
Liverpool beat City – “Play long balls”
Wigan beat City – “Play long balls.”
United beat City – “Play long balls.”
Looks like Manchester City can’t take losing and randomly come out with stupid comments. #LFC #Wigan #United
— 𝘼𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 𝙀𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 (@AnfieldEffect) April 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/JSealeaf/status/983304567986294784
https://twitter.com/AndyTheRed83/status/983306935318597632
