Dele Alli reveals why he has the greatest admiration for Raheem Sterling

Tottenham star Dele Alli revealed why he had the greatest admiration for his Champions League rival Raheem Sterling.

Alli and Manchester City, ace Sterling, are opposed to an English duel in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

But Alli has described his teammate in England, Sterling, as "focused", "dedicated" and "one of the best people you can meet for the way he has managed everything".

Sterling has been facing battles for almost his entire career, ranging from the scrutiny of his transfer of 49 million pounds from Liverpool to Manchester City in 2015, to the criticism of his lifestyle by the media and then recently to racist abuse while he was playing for England against Montenegro.

And Alli says he is impressed by Sterling's ability to focus on his football while facing the outside pressure – especially in the final phase of Euro 2016.

"The worst I've ever seen was Raheem Euros," said Alli, speaking during an episode of Dele: Moments Available on OTRO. "Honestly, he's one of the best people you can meet in the way he's managed everything.

"It was my first major tournament and what was it, a year older than me – I do not know how I could handle all the heat that was imposed on him.

"When I was younger, Raheem was playing in the first team a lot earlier than I. He was a much bigger name before I started to come in. I already had this picture of him d & # 39; after what I had seen, but when you meet him he's one of the kindest people I've ever worked with, he's so focused and dedicated. "

Alli's Tottenham will hold a 1-0 lead over Sterling's Manchester City ahead of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final next Wednesday at Etihad.

Both teams will also play in the league on April 20 – a match that could have a crucial impact on the Premier League title race.

Sterling has been one of the best City players this season, scoring 15 goals and producing 11 badists in the Premier League.

The episode is part of a series entitled Dele: Moments, available on OTRO. You can download the OTRO app to see the full episode as well as other exclusive content, the opportunity to chat directly with the players and the opportunity to win exclusive prizes and head-to-head experiences at with the players.