Darwin Nunez, a striker for Liverpool and a Uruguayan international, acknowledged that he had a hard time adjusting to English football, but he also accepted some of the blame.
Nunez scored in each of his first two games for Liverpool, but was suspended for the English Premier League matchup against Crystal Palace after making a crucial mistake that resulted in his dismissal.
Joachim Andersen was defending Crystal Palace when Nunez interfered without a ball and “butted” him in response to the Danish player’s aggression, forcing the Liverpool player to start over. Nunez was given a three-match suspension.
Nunez has gone without a goal for five straight games after serving his suspension, but he impressed during Liverpool’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Glasgow Rangers on Tuesday.
Nunez was quoted by the British news agency (BA Media) as saying to the Brazilian television station TNT Sports: “The reality is that the adjustment was a little difficult, but I think that with the training and games, I will adapt to the situation gradually.”
Nunez continued, “I went through a very trying time (after the red card). I realise I made a big mistake, and now that I’ve been punished for three games, I know it won’t happen again.
The Liverpool player added, “I have to settle my anxieties throughout the matches and talk less. We all make mistakes, so this will definitely be a teaching moment.
The former Benfica striker found it difficult to communicate with Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp due to the language barrier, thus he primarily relied on the Portuguese-speaking Dutch coach Pep Leanders and Portuguese coach Vitor Matos who are on the team’s technical staff.
Nunez and Klopp spoke over the weekend in an effort to reassure him that they still believe in him and told him not to worry. This allowed for a swift response from the striker (Anfield).
Nunez said, “Well, we don’t chat much. He (Klopp) doesn’t speak Spanish, and I don’t speak English.
The Uruguayan player noted that “(Pep and Vitor) are the translators when Klopp speaks to the group.” They explain what to do to me as they sit next to me.
He continued, “If they don’t explain it to me, I’ll walk into the stadium not knowing what to do.”
Nunez said, “But the constant in my connection with the coach is his support for me, giving me confidence, and I have to respond to that on the field.” to his remarks.
Nunez acknowledges: “Klopp and I don’t talk much.”
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