Ronaldinho: Roberto Firmino In Same Class As Mesut Ozil, Andres Iniesta

Brazil legend Ronaldinho says he never doubted that Roberto Firmino would emerge as a key man for Liverpool this season and insists there is still more to come from his compatriot under Jurgen Klopp.

The 24-year-old, who joined the Reds from German club Hoffenheim in June, is enjoying his most productive spell for the club so far, having scored four goals in his last four appearances in all competitions.

Firmino’s 20 Premier League outings this season have seen him net five times and clock up five assists, with his quality becoming increasingly evident as he continues to adapt to a new league week by week.

World Cup-winner Ronaldinho is not surprised to see his fellow Brazilian flourishing and expects him to keep getting better with the guidance of “one of the best coaches in the world.”

“I didn’t ever question if he would be a great player for Liverpool, I knew that he would be,” Ronaldinho said. “He’s one of the best at what he does in the world. He’s in the same class as (Mesut) Ozil, (David) Silva, (Andres) Iniesta, and all the other great players who play that role.

“He’s the player that I’m sure Klopp will build his new Liverpool team around.

“Klopp is one of the best coaches in the world, he will know that Liverpool needs better players, he will know that Firmino will need better players around him to get the most out of his game.

“I’m sure when he joined Liverpool, Klopp was promised he could bring in his own players, and with Firmino at the center of the team, there’s no reason Liverpool cannot challenge once again.”