Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren takes a subtle aim at Real Madrid defender and captain Sergio Ramos and also talked about his relationship with teammate and African sensation Mohamed Salah.
The Croatian has hit it off with Salah since the Egyptian joined from Roma in June 2017. They regularly appear on each other’s social media and are often photographed together during training sessions at Melwood.
In an interview with reporters, Lovren said: “From day one, we felt this connection. “We have been talking a lot, we were talking about private things and we have a similar background, a tough life from the beginning.
“It wasn’t easy to grow up where he was in Egypt without anything, and I had a similar thing in Croatia with the war and going back to Germany.
“And then with his normality, how he can talk to you and when you see how he thinks… we are good friends, coffee, jokes!”
Lovren received a great deal of criticism for describing himself as “one of the best centre-backs in the world” during the World Cup and also took the opportunity to address his “haters”.
He added: “I said one of the best, I never said I was the best and I don’t think I said anything wrong!” “Of course, my haters will always say that.”
The 29-year-old was then asked who he felt were the best defenders around at present and Lovren made a big claim regarding Ramos – who injured Salah during Liverpool’s 3-1 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid in May.
Lovren said: “Virgil (Van Dijk) I would say (is among the best).
“We had a great season last season, me and him, we reached the final of the Champions League.
“I would say (Raphael) Varane. I like Varane, he deserves a lot of credit, he doesn’t get it as much as Ramos gets. I don’t agree with that.
“Definitely Varane is better, this season and previous seasons. He won the Champions League and the World Cup. He should be the best defender in the world and they chose Ramos.
“I always consider Thiago Silva. He is really a good experienced player, he isn’t that tall but can jump quite high. He is strong.”
“If you look, Ramos has many more mistakes than me. “But he plays for Real Madrid, when you do a mistake you win 5-1 or 5-2, nobody cares about the mistake.
“I’m quite unlucky in that when I make a mistake it’s 1-0 and the game is finished!
“But without mistakes, you cannot be where you are. Everyone is a human being, sometimes people have a bad week at home, nobody cares about that.
“Every player is their biggest critic. When I make a mistake, I don’t talk to my wife for a week, for a year, I don’t know, I don’t care!
“You want to punch somebody but you have to stay calm inside and be professional.”

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