Roberto Firmino: The former Liverpool star went from hero with a hat-trick at Al-Ahli to failure in two months in his move to Saudi Arabia’s Pro League

Roberto Firmino has never been a fan of interviews, but he has just released a book about his eight-year stay at Anfield entitled ‘Yes Sir: My Years at Liverpool’. The book sheds a lot of light on how he quickly went from an unwanted outsider during the final dark days of Brendan Rodgers’ reign to a key figure in Jurgen Klopp’s team, an immensely popular key player in an era of remarkable success for the Reds. .

However, one wonders if there will be a sequel to Firmino’s time in Saudi Arabia in the future, because while it may not turn out to be the ‘beautiful story’ he wrote in Liverpool, it would certainly make fascinating reading given the uncertainty . currently surrounding his sudden and dramatic decline in form at Al-Ahli.

Firmino was undeniably one of the Pro League’s most notable summer signings, but was also widely regarded as one of the most sensible. He could be almost 32 years old, but he was not a striker who had ever depended on speed to open up defenses. He’s always been as smart as they come.

Furthermore, Firmino has also long been regarded as the consummate professional, praised for his work ethic. The general consensus was that he still had enough energy left to propel his newly promoted team to the top of the table.

Although Al-Ahli are doing quite well and are currently fourth in the standings, Firmino seems exhausted. Years of relentless pressure appear to be taking their toll on a striker known for both his diligence and ingenuity.