The 3rd and final article in this series of player battles – previous articles, Trent vs Vini and Benzema vs Van Dijk. Let’s dive right into it.
LUIS DIAZ (LIVERPOOL) VS DANI CARVAJAL (REAL MADRID)
Luis Diaz
Liverpool’s January signing is proving out to be a tactical and/or statistical difference for them, while it has already turned out to be the best winter signing in the world this season. Luis Diaz has taken no time to settle in such a new environment with the new teammate and is already a backroom star. The 25-year-old Columbian’s highlight reel in the Red colour jersey, so far, has been beyond phenomenal.
His stay, so far, at the Merseyside has been far more beyond than the numbers to show for. It has been outrageous, if not crazy. It is already giving us the chills to just imagine what he’ll do next season, having fully trained under Klopp.
Diaz’s season in numbers
The Columbian International has already scored 6 goals and has provided another 4 assists for the Reds in just 19 games across all the competitions, so far this season.
Meanwhile, in the Champions League Diaz has played 6 knockout games as a Liverpool player- scoring twice and assisting once. Moreover, he was one of the key man on the pitch for the Reds, helping them overcome a 2 goal deficit in the 2nd Leg of the semi-final in Villareal.
He has averaged a total of 3 successful dribbles per UCL game as a red while getting dispossessed just twice over the 6 games. Going further into it, we can also learn that his passing is of high quality as well. Diaz has a successful passing percentage of 90% in UCL, again over the 6 games he has played as a Liverpool player.
Dani Carvajal
He is one of those players who have a solid on-field presence for the Royal Whites. Dani Carvajal is more than just a right-back for Real Madrid, filling the defensive gap and producing long overwhelming balls across the pitch. Since joining Madrid from Leverkusen, in 2013, Carvajal has been a thorough defensively sound fullback.
Even this season, the 30-year-old Spanish right-back has been key to the side’s success from the defensive aspect of the game. Moreover, he also helps the team from Defence to attack transitions. And with the presence of a player of Fede Valverde’s quality on the right side of Madrid’s line-up, Carvajal has teamed up with the youngster on numerous occasions to help Carlo’s side in the attack as well as in defence.
Carvajal’s season in numbers
Dani Carvajal has scored 1 goal and has assisted 4, in 35 games across all the competitions so far this season. The Spanish International has more to his game than these numbers.
According to the stats from sofascore, Dani Carvajal has been an all-round presence on the field. With 1 assist, 3 Big chances created, 88 % accurate passes per game, and 80 % successful Long balls delivered – Carvajal is one of the best in the competition.
Verdict
Dani Carvajal’s experience could come into play when he will face the pacy dribbler in Luis Diaz on Saturday. While it is not a battle that Carvajal can win with the reliance on speed, given that the Columbian is one of the quickest wingers in the world right now. So, we might see Fede Valverde and Dani Carvajal doubling up on that side of the pitch, to stop Luis Diaz. Because if he is through on goal, it is the Kopites who will be rejoicing.
