‘Play the Liverpool way’
Van Dijk details Klopp’s halftime message that inspired Liverpool comeback
VIRGIL VAN DIJK has shed light on Jurgen Klopp’s halftime dressing-room team talk that inspired Liverpool’s stunning Champions League semifinal comeback against Villarreal to book their place in Paris.
The Reds, who were 2-0 down at the break, were staring an embarrassing exit in the face at the interval after Villarreal blew them away to pull the tie level courtesy of goals from Boulaye Dia and Francis Coquelin.
But the Premier League title challengers regrouped before showing exactly why they are still on course for a historic quadruple with just seven matches to play.
Goals from Fabinho, the brilliant Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane saw them flip the game on its head.
“(He said) Play football, play the Liverpool way, basically how we’ve been playing all season,” the Dutchman told BT Sport.
“Get on the ball, have a lot of movements on the ball but also behind the last line, they play a high line.
“So with the speed we have, we have to mix that up as well. But also you have to show how much you want to go to the final.
“That’s how it started and second half we dominated and played so well.”
It was halftime substitute Diaz that proved to be the difference as he helped Liverpool put the game to Villarreal.
His dribbling ability helped unlock the door before the Colombian got on the scoresheet with a towering header at the back post.
Van Dijk was more than complimentary of Liverpool’s January signing when quizzed on his impact by Rio Ferdinand.
“He’s incredible,” he added. “The way he goes one-against-one, it doesn’t matter who he is facing.
“He just goes at you, without any fear, if he loses the ball he gets it back as soon as possible and goes again and again. That’s very difficult to defend.
“We have this momentum at the moment in the team, it’s great and now we go to Paris.”
Reds boss Klopp said reaching a third Champions League final in five years with Liverpool felt just as special as the first.
“It feels like the first final because it’s always so special – it’s the best club competition in the world,” Klopp said.
“Respect to Villarreal. Wonderful stadium and what they are doing here is incredible. It feels so special because it was so difficult for us.
“It was massive from the boys. Before the game I said I’d like to read the headlines that the mentality monsters were in town. I didn’t want us to defend the result but go for the win, and the second half was like this.”
Liverpool’s Andy Robertson added: “To be in a final is never easy and to make this a third in five years is incredible from this group of boys. As fans and players, we should never take days like this for granted.”
Fellow defender Trent Alexander Arnold admitted Villarreal made life “really difficult” for the Reds.
“We never seem to make these Champions League semifinals easy for ourselves. Difficult, really difficult,” Alexander-Arnold told BT Sport.
“We came here and they played very well first half. We regrouped at halftime and got the game by the scruff of the neck. We did what we needed to do.
“We never played football that first half and didn’t pick up any second balls. They played the game they wanted to and we allowed them to do that,” said Alexander-Arnold.
“Second half we came out and controlled the ball better. One bad half over two legs, we can concede that to get the job done.”
Liverpool now turn attention back to the Premier League, when Tottenham visit Anfield on Sunday (2:45am Malaysian time).
Yet Van Dijk insists Liverpool will still find the time to enjoy the moment: “You have to!
“We should enjoy the moment, today, tonight. Then we focus on Spurs at the weekend.”