Ryan Gravenberch beamed with a smile when comparisons with Toni Kroos were made.
It came from part of the Spanish press in the aftermath of his great performance against Real Madrid in the last Champions League match. His manager Arne Slot laughed it off when asked after the 2-0 win at Anfield that put Liverpool back at the top of the Champions League group.
Slot's answer was that he is Dutch and not German. But Gravenberch enjoyed being compared to the Real Madrid star. “It's nice to hear, of course, because Toni Kroos is a legend of the game. He's done a lot of good things, so it's nice to hear,” the Liverpool midfielder said.
It may have been because Gravenberch has developed into a key player in Slot's team. Not quite Kroos' level yet, but still impressive in helping the Reds to the top of the Premier League and Champions League tables.
Gravenberch is still learning the position after moving deeper from the No. 8 position. “Of course I think everyone can still adapt or improve, including me, so for me I can maybe do a little more in defense,” said the Dutch midfielder.
“But I'm very happy with the performances I've achieved so far, so I just have to keep going.” Gravenberch has been present for almost every minute under Slot in the Premier League and Champions League so far.
The Dutch international was substituted for the first time against Newcastle in the Reds' last outing as he was shown a yellow card with 23 minutes to go. But at a time when some of the game's top stars are calling for less football, Gravenberch is enjoying it ahead of the Girona match, their sixth match in this new Champions League format.
“For now it is nice to play every match, but maybe in the future if you play a lot of matches, I think now it is twenty matches in the Champions League competition, so if you reach the mark of sixty or seventy, then is that so? It's really crazy, but for now it's okay,” he said.
Girona host the Reds and have won just one match so far in their first Champions League season, while Slot's team have won every match so far, beating Real, Bayer Leverkusen, AC Milan, RB Leipzig and Bologna . But manager Michel is hoping for a big night against the six-time winners of the competition.
“They dominate all concepts of the game,” said the Girona boss. “Their game is very dynamic, they change structure at any time and they have players with top intensity and pressure. We will have to run more than ever. But of course it is possible.
“Rayo (Vallecano, his former club) I used to sing 'next year Rayo-Liverpool' and it was a dream. After qualifying for the Champions League, they were an opponent I wanted. Playing at Anfield or here is the same, it's a dream for everyone.”
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