Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi has revealed he regards Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk as a major influence and has declared his desire to play at Anfield. The 19-year-old, who made his Barcelona debut before the age of 17, has won La Liga in each of the last two seasons and played every minute of Spain's World Cup triumph in the summer, where he was named the tournament's Best Young Player.
Cubarsi's role models
Cubarsi counts Van Dijk among his role models as he came through the ranks at Barcelona. "When I was a kid, I looked up to Carles Puyol," said the teenager. "My role models are Puyol and Gerard Pique."
"I like both profiles: the gritty defender and the ball-playing one. Pique played more of a role in the build-up, but Puyol was key in terms of mentality and character," he added.
Admiration for Van Dijk
"I have looked up a lot to Virgil van Dijk in recent years. But I also tend to look at myself a lot and analyse my performances," Cubarsi said. "I am very self-critical when I make a mistake. During the game, you are aware of every action - whether you've been good or not. I am very self-demanding and beat myself up with stuff I can polish from my game, in a positive way."
In an interview with The Athletic, Cubarsi also explained his ambition to play at Anfield. "I've always followed the Premier League," he said. "If I had to pick a favourite stadium? I'd like to play in a big Champions League night at Anfield. That has to be an impressive experience."
Barcelona's last visit to Anfield
Barcelona were last at Anfield in 2019, when they were famously beaten 4-0 as Liverpool overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit from Camp Nou in their Champions League semi-final. Liverpool went on to lift the trophy for a sixth time by beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final.
