Tottenham star Dele Alli has revealed why he has the utmost admiration for Champions League rival Raheem Sterling.
Alli and Manchester City ace Sterling are on opposite sides of an all-English quarter-final showdown in the Champions League.
But Alli has described his England team-mate Sterling as "focused", "dedicated" and "one of the best people you could meet in how he's dealt with everything".
Sterling has faced brickbats throughout most of his career, from intense scrutiny of his £49million transfer from Liverpool to Manchester City in 2015, to media criticism of his lifestyle, and then most recently racist abuse while playing for England against Montenegro.
And Alli says he is impressed by Sterling's ability to focus on his football while handling the pressure from outside - especially during the Euro 2016 finals.
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"The worst I've ever seen was with Raheem at the Euros," said Alli, speaking during an episode of Dele: Moments which is available on OTRO. "He is honestly one of the best people you could meet in how he's dealt with everything.
"That was my first major tournament and he was what, a year older than me - I don't know how I would have handled all the heat that was put on him.
"When I was younger Raheem was playing first team a lot sooner than I was. He was a much bigger name before I started coming onto the scene. I already had this picture of him from what I'd seen, but when you meet him he's one of the nicest people I've ever worked with. He's so focused and dedicated."
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Alli's Tottenham hold a 1-0 lead over Sterling's Manchester City ahead of next Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg at the Etihad.
The two teams also play in the league on April 20 - a game which could have a crucial bearing on the Premier League title race.
Sterling has been one of City's best players this season, scoring 15 goals and producing 11 assists in the Premier League.
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The episode is part of a series called Dele: Moments which is available on OTRO. You can download the OTRO app to view the full episode along with other exclusive content, the ability to chat directly with the players and the chance to win exclusive prizes and one-to-one experiences with the players
