The Bajcetic family know a thing or two about professional football.
Teenager Stefan has broken into the fringes of the first team set-up at Liverpool and was handed his Premier League debut in August, coming on as a late substitute during the Reds' 9-0 mauling of Bournemouth.
Another late substitute appearance against Ajax a month later made him Liverpool's youngest ever player to appear in the Champions League at the age of 17 years, 10 months and 22 days. Now 18, the former Celta Vigo youth player is continuing to find his feet in the presence of global football superstars - but has a good ear back at home to lean on for advice.
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Srdan Bajcetic, Stefan's father, is a former Serbian professional footballer who spent three years in the 90's with Spanish side Celta Vigo. Speaking to Liverpool's official website, Bajcetic Jnr has revealed the benefits of having another player in his family.
He said: "My dad has been very important for me because he has been where I am now and played at a high level as a regular, so he helps me a lot. Because of his experiences, he knows how to handle tough situations. When you have a bad day, he knows how to deal with it, and I will often ask him about things. He always asks me about games and how I think I played and then he gives me his thoughts about the match and that's really helpful too."
Bajcetic arrived at Liverpool's youth academy in December 2020 as a centre-back, but has since been converted into a midfielder. It's something that the Spanish-born teenager hadn't expected but is nevertheless benefitting from.
He said: "I had always been a centre-back but sometimes I used to play a bit higher as well. But although I was usually a central defender, I was quite good at getting out with the ball and then Bridgey [Marc Bridge-Wilkinson] and Alex [Inglethorpe] thought it was a good idea to put me in midfield and I guess it has worked!
"I'm naturally quite a defensive player and I like to defend but I also like to attack when I have the opportunity, so it means I have the chance to do both by playing in there. The impact of the staff at the Academy has been very big. With the move to midfield, Bridgey was aiding me a lot in terms of how to receive the ball, how to get myself oriented and know what's around me – and that has helped me a lot. Alex has always given me tips as well. I have always been learning from them and I still am."
Bajcetic may have only made short cameos in the first team so far, but he was delighted to get minutes during the 9-0 win over Bournemouth and takes great pride in making his Champions League debut at Anfield against Ajax, even if that was only shortlived as the Reds scored late on to nab an important win.
The youth prospect seems determined to get his head down and carve out new opportunities for himself while learning from the experienced pros he is now training with every day.
Bajcetic added: "It was a proud moment for me and my family [against Ajax] and it was a very important win for the team too, because it was a very equal game and then we had the late winner which made it a really special night. I came on for just a little time but at least I could say that I made my Champions League debut and at Anfield too!
"Every kid dreams to play in the Champions League and obviously it's even better if it's with a club like Liverpool, which is one of the biggest in the world and one of the most successful in terms of the Champions League. So yes, it was a good night.
"It's been good to train every day with the first team. Obviously you learn a lot and then to make the bench allows you to see first-hand how they play and gives you the experience of being in big stadiums. Then, as well, I've also been getting minutes with the U21s, which has been very good. I've been learning a lot."
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