In the 2nd matchday of the Champions League’s League Phase, Christos Tzolis scored and was named MVP in Club Brugge’s match against Sturm Graz. Now, on the 3rd matchday, another Greek player has claimed the MVP award.
This time, it’s Kostas Tsimikas. The international Greek full-back for Liverpool put on a stellar performance in the match against Leipzig in Germany, with the Reds securing three valuable points from the victory.
Kostas Tsimikas started the game and played for 75 minutes. He provided the cross that led to Darwin Núñez’s goal, which separated the two teams and sealed Arne Slot’s team’s third win in as many games. He also nearly assisted with a header by Virgil van Dijk, which was brilliantly saved by Péter Gulácsi.
The 28-year-old full-back finished the match with three interceptions, 54/57 passes, two key passes, 1/1 dribbles, 2/4 ground duels won, and 5/7 long balls completed.
After the match, Tsimikas spoke about the team’s goals: “Of course, we’re excited about the start we’ve made this season. Everyone defends, everyone attacks, and everyone wants to do even more. We’re hungry for more. Even now, every game is very difficult for us, but the team must show up and stick to the plan, being 100% focused every time and giving their best effort.
I think we all defend together. One of the new coach’s goals is that he asks us to defend as a unit, as a team. So I think that’s key. We don’t want to concede goals. In every game, we defend as one, and that’s what we want to continue seeing.
I believe we’ll go to Arsenal to play our football and win the game. That’s our goal, but we take it match by match, trying to win and play good football. I think that’s what’s most important at this point. It’s too early to talk about statement victories, but our goals from the start of the season have been to win everything.”