Stefan Bajcetic: The 'cheeky' teenager and his 'Christmas story'

2 years ago 48

"Cheeky arsenic hell" and a archetypal elder extremity connected 26 December - Jurgen Klopp described Spanish teen Stefan Bajcetic's interaction for Liverpool arsenic "like a Christmas story".

The 18-year-old restored Liverpool's two-goal vantage 2 minutes aft coming connected arsenic a substitute successful a 3-1 triumph astatine Aston Villa successful their archetypal league lucifer since the World Cup break.

It was lone his seventh elder quality for the nine and helium has played a full of conscionable 189 minutes crossed those games. So, conscionable who is Bajcetic?

Liverpool clasp disconnected Aston Villa to marque winning return

'Cheeky arsenic hellhole and not disquieted astir anything'

Spanish teen Bajcetic joined Liverpool from his hometown nine Celta Vigo successful November 2021, signing his archetypal nonrecreational declaration with the Premier League broadside astatine the property of 17.

Football runs successful his family, with his father, Srdan Bajcetic, representing Serbia astatine planetary level.

At Celta his quality was wide and, capable to play successful some defence and midfield, the versatile Bajcetic occasionally stepped up to the Under-23s aft making his Under-18s debut portion inactive an Under-16 player.

Now, a twelvemonth connected from his determination to Merseyside, helium has a archetypal Premier League extremity - which arrived aft a full of 23 minutes of Premier League enactment - having already go the youngest subordinate to ever look for the Reds successful the Champions League erstwhile helium featured successful September's group-stage triumph implicit Ajax.

Speaking to Amazon Prime pursuing his side's victory, Klopp said of Bajcetic: "He's cheeky arsenic hellhole and helium is not disquieted astir anything.

"He conscionable plays shot and helium tin bash that exceptionally well.

"He had a football-playing father, truthful the genes are determination but besides the attitude, consciousness and lucifer intelligence. It's a large pleasance to enactment with these boys."

'Exceptional' Bajcetic has 'important role' to play

At the property of 18 years and 65 days, Bajcetic became Liverpool's third-youngest Premier League scorer down lone Michael Owen (17 years 143 days) and Raheem Sterling (17 years 317 days).

He is besides the 2nd youngest Spaniard to people successful the contention - down lone Cesc Fabregas, who scored for Arsenal against Blackburn aged 17 years and 113 days successful August 2004.

He was not the lone young endowment fixed precious Premier League acquisition against Aston Villa, though.

Ben Doak came disconnected the seat to marque his Premier League debut aged 17 years and 45 days and successful the process helium became the youngest Scottish subordinate successful the competition's past - overtaking the grounds acceptable successful 1995 by Nigel Quashie for Queens Park Rangers (17 years 163 days).

On blooding young players, Klopp told BBC Sport: "We cognize that we person to make a concern wherever these boys tin assistance america - and they tin assistance america - but for that we request to beryllium stable. If we are stable, past they tin play their role."

The Liverpool brag added: "Stefan's an exceptional talent. He's cheeky arsenic hellhole and however helium plays shot is great. His cognition is outstanding.

"Ben arsenic well, what a dribbler helium is. It's bully to bring them on. They person an important relation for america and contiguous they could play, which was truly nice."