Liverpool hero reveals ‘final straw’ under Jurgen Klopp that forced exit – ‘The penny dropped’
Roberto Firmino has revealed the Jurgen Klopp decision that was ‘the straw that broke the camel’s back’ and forced his exit from Liverpool.
Firmino left Anfield for the Saudi Pro League in the summer of 2023 having won the Premier League, Champions League, Club World Cup, Carabao Cup and the FA Cup in his time with the Reds, contributing 111 goals and 75 assists in 392 appearances.
The Brazilian is now plying his trade for Al-Ahli where he’s part of a star-studded forward line along with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney, who joined their ranks from Brentford for £40m in the summer.
In his book ‘SÍ SEÑOR: My Liverpool Years’, Firmino explained his reasons for leaving the club he joined for £29m from Hoffenheim in 2015.
He said: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was a match against Wolves, in which I came on as a substitute in the last minute. That was it. Right there, I understood.
“As we say in Brazil, the penny dropped. I knew now. I called my agents. Roger Wittmann and Christian Rapp met with me for a face-to-face talk. We left the living room and went to my room: just me, Christian, Roger and Larissa, no distractions. Christian and Roger were perfectly transparent about everything that was happening and the club’s view of my future.
“It wasn’t a war. It was just a difference in understanding about what I could offer to Liverpool. I reflected a lot and realized that God’s plan was to take me somewhere else. The signs were all there since that conversation with Pastor Daniel in Maceio. I had been stubborn.
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“God didn’t want me to stay in Liverpool, but I was insisting. I didn’t listen. But I couldn’t avoid it any more. It was time to accept. I decided it was time to seek another challenge for myself, another purpose. My time at Liverpool had come to an end.”
Firmino – who captains Al Ahli – has 12 goals and seven assists in 43 games for the Saudi Pro League club, but his side have got off to a slow start despite the quality they have in the squad.
Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessie, Merik Demiral and Gabri Veiga have also swapped European football for the lucrative Saudi side, but just seven points from five games at the start of the season leaves them off the pace in seventh.
