Firmino targets 'unique' end to his best season yet
Winning the Champions League would crown a season Roberto Firmino considers to be the finest of his career to date.
Liverpool’s No.9 has scored 27 times and provided 17 assists in 53 appearances so far this campaign - with, of course, one game left to play.
A Champions League final against Real Madrid on May 26 lies in wait, and Firmino would love nothing more than to apply an historic finishing touch to an outstanding individual campaign that he aims to better in the future.
“This year is my best year as a professional footballer… [but] I am still a little bit ‘restless’, as I always want more, to grow and grow even further,” the Brazilian told UEFA.
“[It would be] a unique moment [to win the final]. It’s a very special trophy, because it’s the Champions League.
“If we’re fortunate enough to be able to win it, it will be a very emotional moment for me and the whole team.”
This season represents Firmino’s first playing in the Champions League, and his stats prove that the 26-year-old feels right at home on Europe’s elite stage.
Only Real’s Cristiano Ronaldo can better Firmino’s tally of 10 goals in 12 appearances in the tournament, while his teammate James Milner is the sole player to top his eight assists.
“Very, very,” he replied, when asked if he is satisfied with having scored 10 times in the competition so far.
“Although I am a little bit annoyed, because [in general] I always want more and I am never satisfied. However, you cannot beat yourselves up about these things all the time and you must always keep moving forward.
“It is my first season in the Champions League and I am one of the leading scorers, alongside Cristiano and [Mohamed] Salah.
“I am pretty pleased and very happy with my performance and the entire team’s performance. And I hope to keep that going into the final.”
Watch Firmino's first 50 LFC goals
Liverpool’s journey to Kiev began with a two-legged play-off tie against Firmino’s former club TSG Hoffenheim last August, and he explained that ‘a lot of work’ has been put in to earn the right to compete for the trophy with the holders Real.
“Of course we dreamed big, I dream big and our whole team had that dream,” Firmino said.
“Sure, we’ve had to win matches, go step by step, and put in a lot of work to reach the final. Now that we are in the final we also must remain focused.
“We know there is an equally well-qualified team on the other side. It will be a great final.
“We know about Real Madrid. They are always winning titles in the Champions League and in the Spanish league too. They are a great team and are very tough to play against.
“I’ve never played [against them], however I’ve watched their games and they’re very competitive. However, this is a final.
“This is a final and a one-off game, a one-off moment. But they’ll also be up against, in Liverpool, a team and a club with a great pedigree. We are going to fight until the end.”