Robertson’s rise from Spiderman to Liverpool icon

HIS remarkable rise has been well and warmly documented. And yet, in amongst the big names — and even bigger earners — on Tuesday night in the quarter-final of the Champions League against Manchester City, the Andy Robertson story at Liverpool continued to unfold in considerable style. An £8million signing by Jurgen Klopp last summer, the Scot’s value has now soared in line with his popularity amongst the Anfield faithful. It’s scarcely believable that exactly five years after playing in front of 242 fans for Queen’s Park, there he was on Europe’s biggest stage, helping defeat the English champions-elect 5-1 on aggregate. The 2-1 victory highlighted how far Robertson has come from his part-time days when he turned out for the Spiders in a 2-0 second division defeat at Annan Athletic on the same day in April 2013. Asked if eliminating Guardiola’s side was a career highlight, the 24-year-old former Dundee United and Hull City player unsurprisingly agreed. ‘I would say so,’ he said. ‘You grow up watching these tournaments and you think what it’s like to play in it. We’ve just knocked out one of the best teams in Europe and we are in the semi-final.’ Liverpool held firm after losing an early goal, although Robertson (right) was lucky not to be penalised in the box for a clumsy challenge in the first 45 minutes. ‘The first half was tough,’ he continued. ‘We knew they were going to come out attacking. A couple of their chances could have gone in and if it did it could have been a different day. Then Mo [Salah] pops up with another goal and that’s the tie over.’ Liverpool will not face Barcelona in the last-four after the Catalan club were knocked out in spectacular fashion by Roma, and Robertson is relishing tomorrow’s draw. ‘It doesn’t matter who we get,’ he said. ‘There is no easy way to the final but we’re up to the challenge.’ Robertson, a recognised member of Klopp’s first team after benefiting from Alberto Moreno’s enforced absence through injury in December, is hoping to help the Anfield outfit seal a top four Premier League place and qualification for next season’s Champions League. He added: ‘We’ve got a good gap between ourselves and Chelsea, and we just need to cement our place in the top four.’