Following all the initial excitement in Colombia about Luis Diaz’s move to Liverpool, there are now high expectations after his good debut for the Reds.
The winger was brought on by Jurgen Klopp in the weekend’s FA Cup clash against Cardiff City, and in his few minutes on the pitch, he managed to make an assist in the 3-1 win.
Reacting to his debut, Futboldred held an interview with Hamilton Ricard, who’s another Colombian player who featured in the Premier League.
The former striker, who retired in 2013, played for Middlesbrough between 2001 and 2002, and talked about the success that Diaz could have for Liverpool in the coming years.
“A guy who has all the conditions to succeed in Liverpool and in the English League. He’s always been quick, going to the front. There is a clear code, that the first pass is forward, if it is not possible, to the side, if it is not possible there either, the last option is to throw it backwards. It’s a code they have there,” Ricard told Futbolred (via Marca Colombia).
“A professional league, the glamour. He’ll reach a league where you live differently, at a professional level. Nobody will be after him there, neither the coaching staff, nor the physical trainer, to go to the gym. He knows that he will have to go to the gym, they will give him the schedule.”
Ricard also urged Diaz to focus on his career instead of becoming a superstar away from the pitch.
“[I hope] That Luis Diaz is going to play football, that he concentrates on growing as a player. On being more powerful, faster, just playing ball, that the rest will be given. That he is not going to be careless in social networks, the English do not like that. Let him focus on playing football and he’s going to have Brits eating out of his hand for life.
“The player must concentrate 100%, because that is what he gives. Everything that Luis Diaz has achieved has been for the ball, changing the life of his family, it was for the ball. Not because of his followers, not because of his social media or talking.”
The former striker also talked about Diaz’s adaptation to the physicality of the Premier League, and the help he’s getting from an attack which is already full of stars.
“I don’t know if he will need more muscle mass. But the fact of playing with Mane, Salah, Firmino, with them, he will grow much more. They will take advantage of him and he will take advantage of them.”
