A tackle attempt by former Liverpool star Fabinho in the Saudi Pro League has gained viral attention.
Fabinho made a move to Saudi Pro League champions Al Ittihad during the summer, departing Liverpool in a £40 million deal.
During his five-year tenure at Anfield, the Brazilian amassed 219 appearances and contributed to the club’s successes in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
Although Liverpool didn’t want to part ways with Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp acknowledged the challenge of competing with the lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.
Speaking on Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, who also moved from Liverpool to Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq this summer: Klopp toldSport1: “It was a special situation for us. Bobby’s [Firmino] contract has expired. Of course, he can go and do whatever he wants. He just made his choice and that’s perfectly fine.
“When Hendo and Fabinho then sat in my office and talked to me about it, I knew when I found out more about the conditions that we have practically no chance of taking action against it.”
Fabinho’s new side Al Ittihad, who also lured Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante to their ranks this summer, are currently at the Saudi Pro League summit, having claimed five wins in their opening six games of the campaign.
The cheekiest of tricks from @gael_kana 😮💨✨#yallaRSL #RoshnSaudiLeague pic.twitter.com/foD8Lcggqb
— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) September 14, 2023
Fabinho has become a viral sensation for the wrong reasons despite Al Ittihad winning their recent match against Al Akhdoud 1-0, thanks to a second-half goal by Benzema.
In a notable incident during the game, Fabinho attempted to confront Al Akhdoud’s Leandre Tawamba as the forward received the ball in midfield. However, instead of making a swift challenge to regain possession, Tawamba nutmegged the former Liverpool star, who appeared to make little effort to challenge his opponent.
Al Ittihad had previously stated in July that Fabinho’s signing was part of their effort to “strengthen the team with exceptional players who will support their journey in the upcoming phase, which includes multiple domestic and international competitions.”