Explained: Why Virgil van Dijk could face a Champions League ban | OneFootball

Virgil van Dijk leads a trio of Liverpool players one booking from suspension as the Reds try to overturn a 1-0 last 16 deficit against Galatasaray at Anfield tonight. They lost the first leg in Istanbul.

According to Goal.com, UEFA rules impose a one-match ban after three yellow cards, with cautions carrying through until after the quarter-finals. Van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones are on two cautions, so another tonight would sideline them for a potential first leg with holders Paris Saint-Germain.

Van Dijk was booked in the 4-1 defeat at PSV Eindhoven, then again in Istanbul last week. Gravenberch and Jones have also reached two after a demanding European run.

Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Hugo Ekitike each have one yellow. Any player who reaches three in the coming games would miss the next European match.

Progress could come at a personnel cost for Arne Slot as Liverpool face a resilient Galatasaray. The visitors showed their steel in Türkiye and almost doubled their lead through Victor Osimhen before VAR intervened.

If Liverpool harness the Anfield crowd to advance, Slot must then weigh selection for a potential meeting with PSG. With the Premier League title out of reach, the Champions League is their final shot at major silverware, so losing a lynchpin like Van Dijk would be damaging.

Source: Goal.com