In a recent interview with The Guardian, Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita fondly recalled his playing experience with the Reds and spoke candidly about his injury woes and future career plans.
Keita confessed that injuries are a mental torture for him. He aspires to play in every game and contribute to the team, but helplessly, frequent injuries prevent him from doing so. Nonetheless, he still understands and accepts that it is a part of a soccer player's life.
Keita is full of gratitude when it comes to Liverpool's fans and team atmosphere. He said that Liverpool fans gave him endless love and support, and wherever he went, he could feel their passion. The Liverpool team is like a big family, so he never felt lonely. He particularly mentioned the glorious moments when Liverpool regained the Premier League title after 30 years and won the Champions League, which were unforgettable for him.
Keita is even more complimentary about Coach Klopp. He believes that Klopp is an excellent coach who can inspire the players to be at their best and bring strength to the team. Under Klopp's leadership, Liverpool won numerous trophies, making the fans happy.
Talking about the future, Keita said that he had the option to extend his stay at Liverpool, but he finally decided to join Werder Bremen in Germany out of concern for his personal playing time. He revealed that he received several offers but was eventually convinced by the coach and management of Werder Bremen. He emphasized that he just wanted to play soccer and enjoy the process of passing and scoring goals on the pitch. Money is not the most important thing for him, having the opportunity to play and enjoy soccer every weekend is his biggest motivation.
However, Keita also admitted that he didn't get many chances to play in his final year at Liverpool. Despite this, he maintained a high level of professionalism and discipline. He apologized to everyone before the end of last season, stating that he is human and no one is perfect. Whether in Salzburg, Leipzig or Liverpool, he always tries to be a role model.
