Tuesday 11 April 2017 16:28, UK
Juninho says he is delighted Liverpool forward Philippe Coutinho replaced him as the top-scoring Brazilian in the Premier League.
Coutinho claimed the record after scoring his 30th goal in the Reds' 2-1 win over Stoke on Saturday, and Juninho said the 24-year-old is Brazil's second-best player behind Barcelona forward Neymar.
"I am delighted that he takes my record," Juninho told the Daily Mail. "I can't think of anyone better - the record couldn't be in better hands.
"Coutinho can be considered, after Neymar, the best player in Brazil. He's a different class and he deserves everything he is achieving because he has worked very hard for it."
Coutinho is returning to form after taking time to regain his sharpness following an early-season ankle injury.
Juninho, who had two spells with Boro between 1995-1997 and 2002-2004 and also played for Atletico Madrid, believes the key to Coutinho's game lies in his ability to find space.
"If you have an intelligence to your game then you can find the space on the pitch and because the game in England is so fast, that means a lot of the time it is also very open," he added.
"One of Coutinho's biggest qualities is that ability to find the space. People think that type of player will have more difficulties adapting to English football than say Spanish football but in England I found a lot more space than I did in Spain.
"The intensity is there but if you get past the first wave of pressure then the pitch opens up."
Watch West Brom v Liverpool on Super Sunday, with coverage getting underway on Sky Sports 1 HD at 12:30pm. Middlesbrough then face Arsenal on Monday Night Football, with coverage from 7pm on Sky Sports 1 HD and Sky Sports Mix.
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