When will they learn? It seems that opposition managers always run their mouths off before playing Liverpool, and I can’t think of one recent time it’s actually paid off.
The latest person to show the Reds disrespect is Gremio president Romildo Bolzan Junior who claims the Champions League winners don’t pose the same threat Real Madrid did last time around in the FIFA Club World Cup.
He goes as far as to suggest that Liverpool are beatable, something that’s rich from a man whose club plays exclusively in South America for 99% of the year.
“The favourites tend to be European teams, always,” he told UOL (via Sport Witness). “I’m sure Liverpool scare less than the Real Madrid we faced. Liverpool are a team that can be beaten.
“For us, for Flamengo, for Boca, for River. Real Madrid were a galactic team, full of stars.”
There’s two main points for me here – firstly, why is he even saying this now when Gremio are only in the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, they’re not even at the FIFA Club World Cup yet!
Secondly, how can he claim we aren’t a team full of stars when the Reds have seven players on the shortlist for the FIFAPro World XI?
Clearly, he’s trying to rustle a few jimmies, but we shouldn’t let him – we may yet not even have to play against the eleventh-placed Brazilian Serie A club.