Virgil van Dijk‘s message is clear ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League return at Paris Saint-Germain, with this the time to “show the whole world” the Reds’ credentials.
After a timely break between midweek games, Arne Slot‘s side will return to action at the Parc de Princess on Wednesday in search of a positive first-leg result to take back to Anfield.
Liverpool’s reward for finishing at the top of the Champions League group phase is a meeting with the Ligue 1 leaders, who are unbeaten in their last 22 games in all competitions.
The challenge is clear ahead of the last 16 tie and it is not lost on Van Dijk, who told reporters including the Echo: “It will be a very good game, I expect over there, against a team in form.
“I think they played very well in their last Champions League game against Brest. It will be difficult but these are the games you want to compete in and I am really looking forward to it.
“Before that, we’ve had some time with our family, a chance to spend some time with the kids and reflect on the last couple of weeks and then we look ahead to what is coming.”
The Liverpool squad were handed two days off after the win over Newcastle and Van Dijk is aware that European knockouts are not kind to “errors” and “bad games” as he sent a clear message.
“Of course it feels like [the Champions League] goes up a level now,” Liverpool’s captain continued. “We are in the knockout stages and there is no time for errors or bad games, basically.
“There are two games to get through and we want to be so good that we deserve to go through.
“But you have to fight for it, you have to do everything in your power to win the game. That is what we are going to try and do but we are definitely aware of them.
“We will be aware of them in Paris and then obviously back here [to Anfield]. These are the nights that you want to perform in and you want to show the whole world.”
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The two-legged tie will be a serious test of Liverpool’s credentials and PSG manager Luis Enrique has already warned his side “will attack,” first in Paris on Wednesday and then at Anfield next Tuesday.
“We will play against the best team in Europe, who qualified brilliantly, but it is not in our mentality to speculate, protect ourselves, stay defensive,” he said after PSG’s weekend win.
“We will attack and we will try to turn that in our favour.”
