Stefan Bajcetic lauded by Steven Gerrard as youngster creates history for Liverpool in Champions League

Stefan Bajcetic is showing “maturity beyond his years” as he created history for Liverpool by becoming the youngest player to start in a Champions League game for the club. That’s according to Steven Gerrard, who has piled praise on the 18-year-old after he was handed a start in Liverpool’s midfield by Jurgen Klopp for the visit of Real Madrid in the last-16 first leg. Ad Since emerging from the Reds' academy into the first team around the turn of the year, Bajcetic has hardly put a foot wrong — especially impressive given the club's difficult start to 2023.

Champions League'Astonishing chain of events!' — Courtois and Alisson make howlers in CL thriller27 MINUTES AGO “He’s doing very well both sides of the game,” Gerrard told BT Sport. “He’s shown aggression, he’s covering the ground very well. I like midfielders who play with the eyebrows up, he’s always looking to pass forward, he’s always looking to be positive.

He can play the last pass. “And his maturity is beyond his years, so far. Fair play to him, he’s took his chance.” Bajcetic — who is keeping out the likes of Naby Keita and James Milner in midfield – was recently hailed by Mohamed Salah as being Liverpool’s best player since breaking into Klopp's first XI.

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