Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana heaped praise on teammate Dejan Lovren ahead of his side facing Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday.
The 30-year-old gushed about Lovren, whose current deal sees him earn £90,000-a-week according to Total Sportek, and claimed that the centre-back had been a rock for his side this season.
Lallana also shared that himself, as well as his other teammates, all thought the enforcer had endured unfair criticism for his displays at times.
“Mr Lova Lova, yes, he has been a rock for us this season,” said Lallana when giving the lowdown on his teammates for BBC Sport.
“There have been so many matches I’ve watched where I’ve thought, what a player.
“At times he has had unfair criticism I feel, the team feel, it’ll be a massive moment for him (against Real Madrid), he absolutely deserves it.”
OPINION
Lallana obviously rates his teammate and that’s understandable, but Lovren’s displays in his latest campaign haven’t made him the easiest to love. The 28-year-old has made some memorable blunders across his 42 appearances this season, and that has proven costly at times. While sometimes it could be argued that he is often made a scapegoat when the Reds have a bad day at the office, it’s bold to describe him as a rock. If Lallana said this about Virgil van Dijk, it would be easy to agree with him. However Lovren has proven himself not to be at the same level, at least consistency wise, as his defensive partner. Hopefully for the Reds’ sake Lallana’s huge praise of his teammate is seen as ringing true on Saturday, as it will be a massive test for the defender. Lovren will have to deal with stopping Cristiano Ronaldo, and that is a mammoth task that better players have previously failed at doing.
