Fabinho says Roberto Firmino did something amazing for him when he first joined Liverpool

Fabinho has thanked outgoing Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino for helping him settle in at Anfield.

Firmino has been a key man at Liverpool for the last eight years, and will leave a legend of the club. Aside from his on-pitch brilliance, part of why Bobby is so loved is thanks to his attitude and enthusiasm towards his teammates.

The 31-year-old is clearly a friend of all within Jurgen Klopp’s squad. But more than anyone, Bobby is closest with his Brazilian countrymen – Fabinho and Alisson Becker. Both arrived three years after Firmino, back in 2018. And speaking to Football Daily this afternoon, Fabinho said he couldn’t thank Firmino enough for the ‘special’ welcome he gave him five years ago.

“He was the most important person at my arrival at Liverpool,” said the 29-year-old. “He really helped me to settle in. The way they welcomed me and my family was really special. Even before my arrival he was important for me, because I know he spoke good things to the manager about me, so I’m really grateful to him!

“So, we will really miss him and personally I will always miss him.”

Fabinho prepares himself for Firmino exit

The way Fabinho – and all the Liverpool squad really – talk about Firmino tells you everything you need to know about him. Not only is he an exceptional footballer, but he’s a great guy, too.

Back in 2015, when Bobby signed for the Reds, that wasn’t necessarily all that important to the club. For example, Mario Balotelli had been bought just a year earlier. Klopp’s famous ‘no bad eggs’ recruitment policy was yet to take shape. Indeed, Jurgen wasn’t even at the club yet.

So, in that case, Liverpool got especially lucky when they brought in Firmino.

He himself had his struggles when settling in, with Brendan Rodgers playing him horribly out of position. From Germany to England isn’t as big-a change as Brazil to Germany, but it still must have been difficult for Bobby with the team struggling also.

Thankfully for him, he had the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Leiva to call on to help him settle in. That he did the same for Fabinho and Alisson was the latest of an unbroken tradition of Brazilians at Liverpool. One that now stretches back to Fabio Aurelio’s arrival in 2006.

With Fabinho and Alisson still at the club, they’ll take what they learned from Bobby and pass it on to the next Brazilians to arrive at the club.

Whoever that may be though, they just won’t be Bobby. And that’s going to hurt us, and Fabinho, for a little while yet.