LONDON: Liverpool's Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara has emphasised the psychological difficulty of playing football in the COVID-19 era, saying the lack of supporters makes it harder to keep going in the final stages of matches. While many high profile figures, including Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp, have decried the impact of this season's packed schedule on players' fitness, Thiago said the emotional impact was even greater. You go from home to training to training at home and get into a cycle where that's all you do. "We knew how to do that but we were used to playing with fans supporting us and shouting against us. Now we've gotten used to playing without fans, but we miss having them in the stadiums so much, every day we long for them."

Source: Egypt Today March 23, 2021 11:26 UTC