Following his €12 million move from Hertha BSC to Bayer Leverkusen last year, Ibrahim Maza was quickly touted as a potential successor to Florian Wirtz, who left the club to join Liverpool in a big-money move that summer.
In a recent interview with the DFL, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder revealed how he deals with the comparisons to Wirtz, who was a major star in Leverkusen's domestic double winning campaign.
“I don't know. It is still the same, of course. Flo is an incredible player, a real Leverkusen legend and everything," Maza said, adding:
"I am still trying to follow my own path and be my own player. I think we are a little different in terms of our playing styles, but of course, it is nice to be able to follow in the footsteps of such a great player. I hope that one day I can play at his level and achieve that.”
Despite being just 20, Maza has established himself as a key player in attacking midfield for Die Werkself.
“It does make me proud, of course, that I can take on that kind of responsibility for such a big club. At the same time, I try to block it out and simply focus on what happens on the pitch, keep doing my own thing, and enjoy playing," he said.
In the interview, the Algeria international was also asked about his role models, naming former Arsenal and Germany midfielder Mesut Özil and ex-Chelsea and Belgium winger Eden Hazard.
“When I was young, I loved Mesut Özil and Eden Hazard. Those two were incredible for me. I loved watching the way they played football. Nowadays, it is difficult to name one role model when you suddenly play against everyone. I try to learn a little from everyone and take the best from each person, including my teammates," he explained.