Daniliuc: the 20-year-old with a body 10 who dried up Neymar and that Alaba took from Madrid

Flavius ​​Daniliuc (04-27-2001, Vienna, Austria) Saturday was a nightmare for Neymar. The Brazilian found out how Galtier prepared a trap for him by placing in his profile the phenomenal Austrian prospect of Romanian origin from the interesting Nice project. One of the most promising youngsters in world football who had a key step for Real Madrid. Among the top fifteen of his generation, Daniliuc is now growing up in France after passing through the Real Madrid youth academy for almost four years and through Bayern for another five. On Saturday he showed a range of his qualities with his parents Michael and Gina in the stands, starting with his versatility because he is an ambidextrous central defender who is capable of performing on both sides. Let them tell Neymar that he couldn’t beat him in the PSG defeat (1-0).

He arrived at La Fábrica when he was barely 10 years old after being captured in a tournament in Vienna, where he was the best player. Real Madrid scouts invited him to a test, where for three days he was measured against 2,500 children. He passed the exam with flying colors and moved from Vienna to Madrid. In the white house he worked with Iñaki Peña, Alberto Garrido and José Manuel Lara, among others, playing with promising white soccer players like Miguel Gutiérrez, with whom he maintains a good friendship, or Sergio Arribas. Back then Daniliuc was an attacking player, playing on the left wing or as a 10.

Well remembered is a performance of his in a tournament in Bilbao, where he subdued Eric García’s Barcelona. He also had to face Ansu Fati several times. In the white quarry he grew a lot and the player remembers his time at Madrid as transcendental. “It was a real education at all levels. They taught us what it means to play in Madrid. I am very grateful for the time and the tactical and technical training. My character was decisively forged there,” he explains.

But at the age of 14, the Austrian teenager changed Real Madrid for Bayern. His compatriot David Alaba played a decisive role in that. Daniliuc responded to the call of the also Austrian defender and became part of the Bavarian club. And a change came. From being an attacking footballer he went on to occupy delayed positions. Another five years of training in a top-level quarry where he ended up being captain. “He is a player that you enjoy working with. Always with a good attitude, focused and very focused, I tried not to take too fast steps with him,” says Sebastian Hoeness, the current Hoffenheim manager who brought Daniliuc to Bayern. “He’s a guy who leaves you speechless. I spoke to him and told him that on the pitch his motto against any opponent has to be: ‘I’m here and you won’t be able to get through,’” explains Bayern academy legend Hermann Gerland. and also discoverer of Alaba.

But in the summer of 2020, he realized that there was not enough space to have minutes with the elders and decided to reject a new contract at Bayern to leave for France. And in September he made his debut in Ligue 1 at the age of 19 years, 4 months and 24 days to measure himself, no less, than with Mbappé and Di María. Two months later he was also playing in the Europa League against Leverkusen. Nice takes him little by little and his price continues to rise. Captain of the U-21 team of his country, his price is seven million and rising. Franco Foda, absolute coach, is already thinking of him to make him play with the absolute.

Bayern coach legend Hermann Gerland, the discoverer of David Alaba, was also present in the conversation, Flavius ​​advising at the time: “When you’re on the pitch, your motto should always be, no matter who assaults you: ‘What You want? I’m here. You can’t go through here.’ Your opponent must be thinking: ‘Today I’m playing against Flavius ​​and I can’t get over him. A central defender has to spread fear, no kicks or red cards, but terrify.”

And Daniliuc got down to it and took advantage of the lockdown time of the pandemic. Admirer of the actor and bodybuilder Ralf Möller, secondary in Gladiator, he worked his physique obsessively. Also the indications of Jochen Sauer, director of the Bayern academy, had induced him to do so. “Sadio Mané used to run for half an hour in Salzburg every day before breakfast. Now he’s a machine. That’s what he worked for. Take him as a role model,” he told him and Daniliuc took care of his physical preparation to the millimeter during the pandemic for a spectacular result . His body mass percentage is 4.3 percent and his photos showing the results have gone viral, even impressing Ralf Möller himself. “His role model is Cristiano Ronaldo. He trains hard with weights, but he also puts the emphasis on speed and strength training,” Möller explained.

All this to achieve remarkable performance in the field. Against PSG he played as a right back, a position that is not the main one in which he plays, but his ability to adapt is beyond doubt. Daniliuc is already on the agenda of several clubs. Spanish teams like Sevilla, Valencia or Betis have already been informed about him, and also in the Premier.