Xherdan Shaqiri has played and scored for seven different teams that won a title during his long career. He is not the most decorated player in Liverpool – that honor belongs to former Bayern Munich player Thiago Alcantara – but he has won his titles in more countries. Unlike the famous midfielder, Shaqiri has experienced how unusual he is as well.
Part of the Stoke side that dropped out of the Premier League in 2018, no one in the Liverpool squad knows more about success and failure than the little player. “They weren’t good times,” he explains Sky Sports. “I know how it is when all is not going well.”
At Liverpool, everything is augmented. Plus, even Stoke’s worst home run that season was just three hits in a row. The reigning champions are currently on a run of six Anfield losses on the kick. The eyes of the world are on Liverpool and everyone is feeling it.
“Here, everything is bigger. Outsiders talk a lot more. The club is so big that people are always talking, left and right. This is normal. .It’s a great club and you have to deal with that because we’re a great team too.Every team can go up and down.
“We are human beings. But we try to be calm.”
This human side is often overlooked but not inside the club. “I haven’t seen my family for five or six months now. It wasn’t simple for me either because I’m very close to my family. I can’t wait to see them again so hopefully her -everything better soon. “
Pandemic is one of the many problems that have made this a full-fledged problem. Personal tragedy has plagued players and staff, injury has hampered continuity on the pitch, and a lack of fans has made it feel stronger at Anfield than elsewhere.
“Everyone knows how our fans are when they push us. Everyone knows how many games we have come back into if we concede a goal. .I think there are a lot, a lot of games where you can see that, a lot of examples.Of course, we really miss them.
“For the smaller teams, it’s easier to come to Anfield without fans. There’s no pressure. You see that in many ways and in many games. The smaller teams have more opportunity.”
If that sounds like an excuse, that’s not the intention. “Certainly, the achievements have not been as we wanted in the last few months,” Shaqiri adds succinctly.
It’s just one explanation for how a team that had won 66 games out of 80, the mental monsters that seemed to be able to move on anyway, are now being find yourself so lacking in credibility. A rectangular boundary is still within reach but something has to change first.
“We need to get back on track and regain confidence to win games. But we are a great team and I am pretty sure we are going to come back to win.
“We talk a lot together and the coach gives us the right directions. I don’t want to say everyone in our dressing room but we talk a lot and we know that we need to come back stronger and deliver what he wants on the pitch. We need to stay positive. “
0:57
Jurgen Klopp says Diogo Jota ‘s return to fitness is very important
Liverpool missed Shaqiri. He netted the win over Midtjylland with his dancing legs in October and then provided quick support for the winner of Diogo Jota against West Ham shortly afterwards. But with an injury on international duty he missed prime time.
Jurgen Klopp welcomed his return to the starting line-up against Manchester United in January, praising him for praise. In difficult times, the mind of that street fighter Shaqiri, now 29, has the cognitive traits of thriving in adversity.
“It’s important to stay mentally strong and this is one of my strengths, staying focused on the game even when it’s not going well. When the time comes, you have to be there .
“I’m a player who loves to take risks on the pitch. That’s what I try to bring to the coach.”
He has been trusted with more late game time, recently finishing 90 minutes for the first time in a Premier League game since scoring against Everton in December 2019. “It’s important to get back and get some rhythm, “he says.
When it is in shape and flowing, it is capable of magic. Scorer was probably the goal of the tournament at Euro 2016, his first for Liverpool was special as well – a stunning kick over his debut against Manchester United in Michigan.
“There were 100,000 people in the stadium in America,” he recalls. “It was incredible to me.”
Is that his best goal?
“You will never forget scoring two goals against Manchester United and scoring for Liverpool against Everton. Scoring in the derby will always be with me in my memory. But if I pick one, I will pick the first man against United in the friendship.
“Not the most important but the most beautiful.”
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Jurgen Klopp says his team is not yet thinking about Champions League glory
The aesthetics are important to him. Andrew Robertson recently said Shaqiri has the best left foot in the Liverpool squad, better than Mohamed Salah.
“My left leg isn’t bad, to be honest,” he laughs. “I showed that in training a bit with my free kicks or when I put one in the corner. Maybe that’s why they say I’m the best. But there are a lot of players. our left foot so I don’t want to say I’m the best. “
A few more sweet strikes before it is done, then?
“I hope so. I feel good, feel appropriate.”
And we have targets ahead of us.
The Swiss Euros are important for Shaqiri and an added incentive to end the season strongly. The Champions League trophy is there for Liverpool too. “There are a lot of games left to play, yet, and there are a lot of things left to accomplish.”
But if they are to hopefully achieve that goal, the form needs to improve and confidence needs to be regained – starting against Wolves at Molineux on Monday night.
“We’re going there with better confidence now, of course, after the Leipzig game where we won and we kept a clean sheet. That can drive us forward, especially in this game before the break. If we win three points we can join the national team in good spirits. “
Shaqiri knows high and low. He knows supporters have been patient. He also knows he expects to be in Liverpool. This form will not be accepted for long.
“We try. We just need to improve performance and then I’m sure we can succeed again. We have to stay positive and work hard.
“This club has to be successful. It has to be at the top.”