Football fans rarely pass up any opportunity to goad players from the opposing team, but Southampton supporters showed their class during their clash against Liverpool this afternoon.
The game at St Mary’s is the final one of Bobby Firmino’s career with the Reds after eight years, with the 31-year-old scoring inside the first 15 minutes.
He was substituted on the hour mark as Jurgen Klopp made a quadruple change, unsurprisingly being embraced by a number of teammates as he made his way off the pitch.
Indeed, as noted by Ian Doyle on Twitter, it wasn’t just those of a Merseyside persuasion who showed their appreciation for the Brazil forward.
As the substitution was made, the journalist tweeted: “So ends the #LFC career of Firmino, who is going off. What a legend he will forever be. Standing ovation from the Southampton fans for Firmino”.
It’s telling just how much of an impact the Brazilian has made in England that even opposition supporters gave him a very warm reception as he brought the curtain down on his Liverpool career.
Adored by Reds fans and his teammates, the tributes have been flowing freely over the past fortnight, and with good reason for a player who’s been a truly magnificent servant to the Anfield cause.
It’s a shame that his time at the club is ending on a low ebb, with Klopp’s side missing out on Champions League qualification, but it’s appropriate that he signed off in his final game for us with his 111th goal in red.
Bobby Firmino – such a classy footballer in every way that Southampton supporters saw fit to give him a fully deserved standing ovation. Kudos, Saints fans.
You can see Doyle’s tweet below, via @IanDoyleSport on Twitter:
So ends the #LFC career of Firmino, who is going off. What a legend he will forever be. Standing ovation from the Southampton fans for Firmino
— Ian Doyle (@IanDoyleSport) May 28, 2023