Programme notes'Let's make Anfield the place no team in Europe wants to visit' - Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk says the return of Champions League football to Anfield is an ‘exciting prospect’ ahead of tonight’s meeting with Atletico Madrid.
The Reds return to European competition in 2025-26 with the visit of Diego Simeone’s team to begin the league phase, in an 8pm BST kick-off.
In his notes for the official matchday programme, Van Dijk writes: “This competition means an awful lot to everyone associated with the club.
“You don’t need me to tell you about the wonderful memories Liverpool has created in the Champions League down the years, but the aim now is to create a few more in the coming weeks and months.
“That is an exciting prospect, for sure. The league-phase draw has thrown up some brilliant fixtures; big games against top sides, in amazing stadiums and in front of some of the most passionate supporters around. How can you not be excited for that as a player?
“Of course, we know it won’t be easy. You only need to look at tonight’s opponents to realise that. Atletico have been one of the best and most consistent teams around for many years now. They have a top manager, top players, and we need to be ready to work extremely hard if we are to start with a positive result.
“We will also need you guys at your best. Your support has helped make a difference many times previously in big Champions League games, and I hope that is the case again this evening. Let’s make Anfield the place no team in Europe will want to visit.”
On the start to Liverpool’s campaign so far, the No.4 adds: “If there has been a word to sum up our season so far, then in my opinion it would be ‘mentality’. We have won all four of our Premier League games, but in each one we have had to show lots of character, lots of patience and lots of belief in order to get the points.
“That was definitely the case at Burnley on Sunday. For the fourth game in a row, we left it late before grabbing the win. For the fourth game in a row, we showed the kind of mentality we are going to need if we are to enjoy another successful season.
“You can’t always play your best football, but what you can always do is you can keep trying, keep pushing, keep working hard and keep motivating one another. I thought our body language at Turf Moor was exceptional. We never got frustrated, never lost our belief and in the end, we got a deserved victory and another big three points.
“Those kinds of wins tell you something about this team. Obviously, no-one wants to find a way only in the last 10 minutes, but it’s about repeating the right patterns, keeping your focus and finding a way.
“This team has done that extremely well so far this season, and that should not be underestimated.”
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