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Jurgen Klopp Signs A Contract Extension at Liverpool (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)
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Vanhaezebrouck recently labelled Lavia a “phenomenon” and just stopped short of placing him alongside Barcelona and Spain star Rodri.
Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad via Sport Witness, Vanhaezebrouck said: “Lavia is a phenomenon. One of the best midfielders in the world, provided he stays fit. I wonder what Chelsea thinks of the fact that he stayed on the pitch for 85 minutes twice. Usually, he is substituted after 65 minutes.
“But whenever he plays, it is ‘wow’. It is often said of Rodri that he dictates the tempo, never loses possession, and always plays forward. Is Lavia of exactly the same calibre?”
Lavia has obviously not achieved what Rodri has in the game. But looking at their playing styles, there are some striking similarities.
Rodri is often praised for his ball retention. Other players cannot get anywhere near him before he passes the ball to a teammate.
The Spaniard only ever needs a couple of touches, and on the rare occasion that another midfielder or attacker does get close to him when closing down or pressing, he uses his big frame to hold them off very effectively.
Similarly, Lavia’s ball retention is also of the highest level. For example, in Belgium’s 1-0 defeat to France, Lavia completed all 37 of his passes on the night, giving him a 100% pass success rate, as per Sofascore.
Breaking that down further, the Chelsea man made 15 passes in the opposition’s half and 22 in his, while he also completed three long balls. What is most impressive about Lavia’s game, though, is how he can swivel his way out of a press.
After Rodri, he may just be the most press-resistant midfielder in football. Vanhaezebrouck can envision Lavia winning the Ballon d’Or one day like Rodri, but he has a long way to go.
Lavia needs to stay fit first, play at a world-class level for a year and help Chelsea or Belgium win an elite trophy. Xabi Alonso will be desperate for him to remain healthy, especially with all the injury problems Chelsea have had in midfield this season.
Lavia has Vanhaezebrouck’s seal of approval as well as Zinedine Zidane’s. After Belgium played France for a second time during the international break, Zidane lauded Lavia following a stunning assist, saying: “I didn’t watch his individual performance because I was keeping an eye on my own players, but I really liked his pass, yes.
“I watched it again in the changing room at half-time, during the analysis. He’s a quality player. But he’s not the only one in the Belgian team. There are plenty of them, even amongst those who came on.”
All in all, Lavia is not on Rodri’s level yet and may never reach it. But it would be a lie to say that he cannot do what the former Manchester City man does on the pitch.