Luca Eden was an impressive performer in his record-breaking outing for Liverpool in the UEFA Youth League against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday
Luca Eden in action for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Youth League opener
Luca Eden in action for Liverpool against Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Youth League opener (Image: Liverpool FC)
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The usual policy when discussing the potential of a burgeoning talent is for any expectation to be tempered in an effort not to over-burden the youngster. After all, not every promising starlet ultimately blossoms into a successful senior professional.
Sometimes, though, the evidence makes such attempts futile. And such is the case with Luca Eden following his record-breaking appearance in the UEFA Youth League on Wednesday afternoon.
At 15 years 182 days old, Eden became the youngest player to feature in the competition for Liverpool when starting in midfield alongside Joe Upton in the 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid at Kirkby.
Eden, who hails from Wirral and has been at the Academy since the age of four, is an England under-16 international and made his first U18 start for the Reds when still only 14 in January. He later became the youngest Liverpoolplayer to score at that level aged 14 years 319 days.
An excellent display up against Atletico players several years older was capped with an assist for Josh Sonni-Lambie's second goal before being replaced with 20 minutes remaining.
And Rob Page, once again taking charge of the Reds U19s in the UEFA Youth League this season, was effusive with his praise of the teenager.
"For a 15-year-old in the middle of the park to give a level of performance like that was outstanding," said Page. "The future is very bright for him.
"Understandably he ran out of steam at the end, even though he didn't want to come off. That says a lot about his character.
"It was a proper game of football and players like Luca, they adapt to it no problem. It's not a shock to them.
"If you speak to some of the U18s, that would have been one of the most physical games they have ever played. But for somebody like Luca Eden, he matches it and then goes some.
"Top, top players have the ability to do that and he rose to the occasion."
Page added: "But it wasn't just Luca. Joe Upton set the tempo with an unbelievable tackle and that's what you want from the engine room.
"We had Joe as a six and Luca as an eight. You want your two midfielders to take control of the game and have the physicality about them, but also the understanding of when and how to play."
Sonni-Lambie's goal just before the interval added to Mor Talla Ndiaye's opener, only for Atletico to fight back strongly in the second half to equalise in the final minute of normal time.
And reflecting on the game, Page added: "It's a little bit frustrating but you can't ask for any more in terms of attitude and effort. The players were all on the floor at the end of the game.
"We knew we were up against good opposition who could keep the ball really well and I thought our shape first half was outstanding. We came off it a bit in the second half so that's a learning for us.
"Atletico didn't have to work too hard to score their goals but that is the next step for us, having that ruthless mentality to see a game out when 2-0 up."
Liverpool's next UEFA Youth League game is in a month when they are in Austria to take on LASK Linz, who drew 0-0 at AEK Athens earlier this week.