Victor Munoz speaks out about Liverpool team

Victor Munoz speaks out about Liverpool team-mates as he admits being shocked after move

Liverpool recruit Victor Munoz has spoken candidly about his early tenure and singled out some of his new team-mates at Anfield

Liverpool's Victor Munoz says the physicality of the Premier League has shocked him since his Anfield arrival. The young Spaniard also highlighted three team-mates who have helped him really feel at home.

The Reds sprung somewhat of a shock with their first signing this summer when they announced the £34.5million addition of Munoz from Osasuna. His release clause was triggered rapidly, with other English sides reportedly interested.

On the back of a lively pre-season, the 23-year-old has made five appearances in all competitions this term, winning a penalty in his side's opening 2-2 draw against Newcastle United on debut and scoring a late equaliser against Nottingham Forest in August.

As he continues to settle into Andoni Iraola's system and adapt to a drastic change of surroundings, Munoz admits that he is enjoying life at Anfield and names three team-mates, including one, in particular, who have helped him feel at home in a new league that he is entirely alien to.

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"Alexis Mac Allister is helping me a lot," Munoz told Spanish publication AS. "As is [Giorgi] Mamardashvili. I've also been getting along very well with Ronald Araujo since he arrived.

"Since I don't speak much of the language, everyone tries their best to help me and having someone like Mac Allister by my side, with everything he represents here, is proving very beneficial. I'm very grateful."

Continuing about his first few months as a Red, Munoz added: "I came here full of enthusiasm and hoping everything would go well. Luckily it has and now it's time to continue in the same way. The level of play in England is extremely high. Every match is different and any opponent can seriously hurt you. Games are decided by the smallest details and winning isn't easy.

"We're on an upward trajectory, trying to follow the manager's plan and it's just a matter of time before we take off. But what has surprised me most, by far, is the physical level of all the teams. In Spain, the game is more positional and tactical, whilst here it's constant back-and-forth. The matches are much crazier and all the teams have very physically powerful players."

Munoz admits even before joining the club, he was informed about the atmosphere he'd experience at Anfield. But the winger says it still blew him away. He said: "You can't really explain it until you experience it. It's incredible how passionately our fans live and breathe football.

"It [Anfield] has a unique flavour. Just hearing the anthem and everyone singing it gives you goosebumps. As soon as it's over, you leave with extra motivation. The fans' passion is a huge boost and an extra incentive for the players."

Munoz also opened up about what a typical day looks like for him since arriving at Liverpool. He said: "I have breakfast at the sports complex, then we do physiotherapy treatments, warm-up exercises, a video session and training. Afterwards, I go home for lunch and rest.

"In the afternoon, I take a walk, do some recovery exercises and play video games with my friends. My parents and brother visit me often and I live with someone who manages my nutrition. I lead a quiet life.

"My strength is consistency. It's one of my greatest virtues. I work day by day, I don't set long-term goals and that, to a large extent, is what has allowed me to get where I am now.

"In the short term, my goal is to settle in Liverpool and win a title, but as in life, you have to keep moving forward and looking for new goals. Maybe next year I'll be able to tell you something different."

The 23-year-old was then questioned about another fellow Liverpool recruit, Bradley Barcola, who arrived from Paris Saint-Germain for an initial £106m near the end of the summer transfer window and plays in a similar position to him. The fee could rise to £123m.

On Barcola, Munoz said: "The arrival of top players is a sign that we all need to push ourselves harder. Their arrival is great for the team and we know that the competition will force us to give our all every day in every training session."

Finally, when asked which team-mate Munoz has been most impressed with, he stayed diplomatic and refused to call anyone out. He concluded: "Everyone here is world-class. It's a joy to be able to share training sessions and matches with them.

"They're all so good that it's impossible for me to pick just one. The team is confident, there's quality and little by little everything will run more smoothly. I can't wait for more."

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