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Andrea Pirlo Slams Divock Origi's Attitude, Spurs' Character in UCL Final
June 2, 2019
Former AC Milan and Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo was left unimpressed by Saturday's UEFA Champions League final, slamming Liverpool scorer Divock Origi for his attitude and questioning the desire of Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen after the 2-0 loss.
The two-time Champions League winner attended the match and spoke to Sky Sport Italia after the contest. He said Liverpool deserved the win for their performances over the course of the season but that the final left a lot to be desired (h/t Football Italia):
"Tottenham showed no character, there were players like Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen who didn't want the ball.
"There was very little quality in midfield and the penalty incident made all the difference. Don't get me wrong, it's a thoroughly deserved trophy for Liverpool's overall season, but also for their wonderful fans.
"However, Origi was awful. He came off the bench with a horrible attitude, unworthy of a Champions League final. If he hadn't scored that goal, they should've given him a kicking."
Former Real Madrid, Milan, Juventus and England manager Fabio Capello agreed with Pirlo:
Mohamed Salah opened the scoring early on after a controversial penalty decision, awarded after the ball came off Moussa Sissoko's chest before hitting his arm. Some fans were far from convinced, as MailOnline Sport highlighted:
Origi came off the bench to double the lead after 87 minutes, effectively securing the win.
The Belgian forward didn't register any shots before he struck a fine left-footed finish, and he was remarkably efficient in the tournament throughout the campaign:
It was arguably his most important goal of the season and one of his top highlights, along with the winner against Everton in the derby on December 2. He also scored twice in the semi-finals against Barcelona, playing a starring role in the 4-0 second-leg win.
Eriksen and Alli were among Spurs' most disappointing performers on Saturday, as neither midfielder was able to impose his will in the trenches or create a lot of danger in attack.
The former came into the final with big expectations after playing well before the game:
Alli took out his frustration on a bottle:
The win was Liverpool's first piece of silverware under manager Jurgen Klopp and the club's sixth Champions League triumph.
Spurs finished another season under Mauricio Pochettino without a trophy after taking fourth place in the Premier League.