Ahead of the return leg of Liverpool’s Champions League matchup against Porto, in which the Reds hold a 5-0 lead, the Belgian press decided to catch up with Simon Mignolet on his 30th birthday.
Reaching the milestone on March 6th, the goalkeeper explains he’s got fewer problems with it than when he turned 25, when he felt like he joined the ‘older players’ in the dressing room.
Back to the football side of things, the Belgium international hasn’t featured in the league for Liverpool since New Year’s Day in a 2-1 win over Burnley, warming the bench and watching Loris Karius play in his stead.
About his teammate’s form, he told Het Belang Van Limburg: “He’s benefitting from the good flow Liverpool are in. Since New Year, we have achieved good results thanks to the arrival of Virgil Van Dijk and the excellent form the attackers are in”.
Also yet to feature in the Champions League, Mignolet doesn’t seem too bitter, and explained that if Liverpool were to win the competition without him playing an actual minute, he’d remember the fact that without him against Hoffenheim, the club might not have made it to the group stages.
Wait. Winning the elite European competition? Yes, that’s something the Reds’ goalkeeper believes the club can do.
He said: “We have proven this season that we should not be alarmed by any of our opponents. Liverpool have always been a real cup team. The difference now is that we have that extra something that used to be missing sometimes.
“The danger no longer comes from one decisive player, but from different ones. In the past, it was enough to keep Luis Suarez or Philippe Coutinho out of the game. Now Salah, Mané and Firmino can make a difference”.
You’ve been warned, European greats. Liverpool are coming for you.
