Virgil van Dijk hasn’t hidden from it — Liverpool’s season hasn’t been good enough. But he’s not ready to write off their Champions League hopes just yet.
The captain was brutally honest after recent results, calling the campaign “unacceptable”, but insisted there’s still belief inside the squad ahead of the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool facing uphill battle after PSG defeat
Liverpool go into the return leg at Anfield needing something big after a 2-0 loss in Paris.
They were second best for most of that game, and there’s no getting away from the size of the task now. PSG controlled the first leg and left Liverpool with very little margin for error heading into the decider.
Still, Van Dijk isn’t buying into the idea that it’s already over.
Van Dijk points to Anfield history for belief
He was part of the side that turned around a 3-0 deficit against Barcelona back in 2019, and that memory still carries weight.
“It starts with belief… from yourself, from the manager, and from the intensity you bring from the first second. We have to show the desire and the fight.” — Virgil van Dijk, per The Guardian
That night against Barcelona is still one of the club’s most famous, and Van Dijk made it clear that those kinds of moments don’t happen by accident. They come from mentality as much as tactics.
From the games we’ve watched recently, Liverpool have struggled to control matches consistently, which is why this challenge feels different. However, it remains too early to completely rule them out, especially at Anfield.
“Unacceptable” season laid bare by captain
While keeping belief for Europe, Van Dijk didn’t sugar-coat the bigger picture.
“It’s unacceptable… we are inconsistent, losing too many games. We have good moments but we don’t maintain them.” — Virgil van Dijk
Seventeen defeats across all competitions tells its own story. For a club with Liverpool’s standards, that level of inconsistency simply isn’t sustainable.
It’s not just about results either. Performances have dipped in key moments, and that’s something the captain clearly recognises.
Key Insights
- Virgil van Dijk has called Liverpool’s season “unacceptable”
- Liverpool trail PSG 2-0 after the first leg
- The captain still believes in a comeback at Anfield
- Inconsistency has been a major issue throughout the campaign
- The second leg will define their European season
What’s next for Liverpool?
Liverpool host PSG at Anfield in the second leg, knowing they need a near-perfect performance to stay in the competition.
Before that, they face Fulham in the Premier League, which could offer a chance to build some rhythm and confidence. The focus will quickly shift back to Europe, though, with the entire season effectively hanging on that result.
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