Virgil van Dijk has acknowledged the scale of Liverpool’s task against Paris Saint-Germain while insisting the Champions League quarter-final remains far from over. The Liverpool captain compared the challenge to the club’s dramatic comeback against Barcelona in 2019, but admitted belief may not be as strong in Arne Slot’s current side after what he called an “unacceptable” season.
Liverpool trail 2-0 after the first leg of the tie at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, a defeat that left them needing another famous Anfield turnaround to keep their European hopes alive. The result was Liverpool’s 16th loss of the season and, according to the source account, the scoreline was flattering to the Premier League champions, who were outplayed in Paris.
Even so, Van Dijk said he remains “100%” convinced the tie can still be turned around on home turf. His confidence is rooted in memory as much as form, with the 2019 semi-final against Barcelona standing as one of the club’s defining European nights. Liverpool overturned a first-leg deficit that season, and Van Dijk believes that history still offers inspiration ahead of the return match.
The defender’s comments reflect both frustration and determination. Liverpool’s season has brought too many setbacks, and Van Dijk did not shy away from that reality. By describing it as “unacceptable,” he gave a blunt assessment of the team’s campaign while also signalling the need for a response at a crucial moment.
That response must come against a PSG side that imposed themselves strongly in the first leg. Liverpool were unable to match the pace and control of the French champions for long stretches, and the gap between the sides appeared wider than the final score suggested. Still, Van Dijk pointed to the atmosphere and expectation at Anfield as reasons not to give up hope.
“No one gives us a chance … we have to show the fight,” the message associated with the build-up underlines, and that sense of defiance appears central to Liverpool’s approach. The club’s captain knows the margin for error is gone, but he also knows that European ties can change quickly when momentum shifts and the home crowd is behind the team.
Liverpool’s Champions League campaign now hinges on whether they can recreate the intensity and belief of previous memorable nights. Van Dijk’s comparison with Barcelona in 2019 suggests that he sees the current assignment as similar in difficulty, even if the mood around the squad is less certain than it was then.
For Slot’s team, the second leg offers both a test of quality and a test of character. Liverpool must overturn a two-goal deficit against a side that looked superior in the first meeting, but the captain’s comments indicate that the dressing room has not accepted elimination. Instead, the focus has shifted to proving that the season can still contain one defining recovery.
Whether that is possible will be decided at Anfield, where Liverpool must produce one of their strongest performances of the campaign. Van Dijk’s message is clear: the season has fallen short of standards, but the tie remains alive, and only a determined response will be enough to change it.
