‘Not in a good place': Van Dijk Admits Liverpool Deserved PSG Defeat

Liverpool after defeat to PSG

Virgil van Dijk admits Liverpool deserved 2-0 loss to PSG. Hugo Ekitike stretchered off with suspected Achilles rupture, ending Liverpool’s UCL run.

Ousmane Dembele's double sealed a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg win for PSG against an outclassed Liverpool on Tuesday...

Virgil van Dijk didn’t argue with the result after Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League by holders Paris Saint-Germain, a loss made worse by a serious injury to Hugo Ekitike.

Ousmane Dembele scored twice to give PSG a 2-0 win in Tuesday’s quarter-final second leg against an overmatched Liverpool side.

The six-time European champions were lucky to still be in the tie after leaving last week’s first leg at the Parc des Princes only 2-0 down, with manager Arne Slot saying they went into “survival mode.”

Premier League champions Liverpool looked better than in the first leg, but that offered little comfort to captain Van Dijk. When it was put to him that his side had at least put up a fight at home, he said: “That's the bare minimum, isn't it?”

“It's disappointing to be knocked out, but PSG deserved to go through.

“Knocking on the door is not enough. I'm disappointed that we were knocked out, but that is the reality. I think PSG deserved to go through based on the two games.”

Tuesday’s defeat ended any remaining hope Liverpool had of lifting a trophy this season and also looked to cut short Ekitike’s debut campaign at Anfield.

The 23-year-old has 17 goals in 45 games across all competitions since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt and was in line to go to this summer’s World Cup with France.

He was stretchered off after landing awkwardly in the first half, with Slot saying the injury looked “really bad“ and was assessed further on Wednesday.

Liverpool had confirm how serious the injury was on Wednesday amid reports the striker ruptured his Achilles tendon, which has ruled him out for at least nine months.

 

With Alexander Isak back to full fitness, he is expected to start up front against Everton on Sunday in the first Merseyside derby at the Toffees’ new Hill Dickinson Stadium, as Liverpool push to secure Champions League qualification for next season.

“We should be very disappointed at this stage and at this point,” said Van Dijk.

“But a massive game awaits for us. We all know how big it is. It will obviously be a tough one but it is something to look forward to.

“But at this stage, I'm just not in a good place because we got knocked out of the Champions League.”