Virgil van Dijk has cautioned that Liverpool’s Champions League battle with Paris Saint-Germain is far from over, despite their hard-fought 1-0 victory in the first leg of their last-16 tie in France.
Liverpool were under relentless pressure at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, managing only two shots compared to PSG’s 27. However, Harvey Elliott’s late goal secured a crucial away win, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker describing his performance as “the game of his life.”
Van Dijk, while praising his team’s resilience, warned that the return leg at Anfield on Tuesday will demand another immense effort.
“It should be a great game, and we have to be ready to suffer because they are a very good team who were unbeaten for a very long time,” said the Liverpool captain. “What I really liked was the togetherness. Everyone put in a shift, and we know we can be better.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted his side was fortunate to leave Paris with a win, while Van Dijk acknowledged the quality of the opposition.
“We don’t want to be playing this way because everyone wants to dominate and have the ball,” he said. “But we faced a team with world-class quality that has made it difficult for everyone, including us. We found a way, and now we must finish it off next week.”
Slot’s substitutes played a key role in the victory, with Darwin Nunez assisting Elliott’s winner and Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo helping to contain PSG’s threat.
“We are entering the decisive stage of the season,” Van Dijk added. “Everyone who is part of the team must step up. You saw Darwin making it tough for Marquinhos, setting up Harvey for the finish. Wataru and Curtis also played a big role. We must keep going because there are many crucial games ahead.”
Liverpool will aim to extend their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League when they host bottom-placed Southampton on Saturday.
