Virgil van Dijk: Why Anfield Must Be Louder Than Ever for Liverpool vs PSG | OneFootball

Virgil’s Message to Anfield: Liverpool Needs You at Full Voice

Liverpool’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, has delivered a clear message ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s visit to Anfield: the fans must be at their very best. The stage is set for another unforgettable European night, with a place in the Champions League quarter-finals hanging in the balance.

A Night That Demands Everything

Liverpool holds a slender one-goal lead from the first leg, but this is no time for caution. Arne Slot’s side will not sit back—they will press forward, driven by an Anfield crowd that has seen its fair share of famous European comebacks. The visitors have done plenty of talking, but Liverpool’s response will come on the pitch.

Van Dijk’s call to arms is unmistakable. In his programme notes, he made it clear what is needed from the Kop.

“I don’t think I need to say too much about the quality of our opponents,” the Dutchman wrote. “It was there for everybody to see in the first leg over in France when we had to fight extremely hard from the first minute to the last.”

Photo: IMAGO

The captain acknowledged the fine margins of the first meeting, where Liverpool had to withstand waves of PSG attacks. Yet he insists the job is only half done.

“That’s why we need you guys at your very best tonight. The atmosphere at Parc des Princes last week was really good, but I know what Anfield is capable of on a night like this and I can’t wait to see and hear you all.”

Photo: IMAGO

No Room for Slow Starts

Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Southampton at the weekend was a confidence boost, but it came with a warning. The first-half display was far from the level expected, and Van Dijk admitted that such lapses cannot be repeated against PSG.

“The second half on Saturday was very good for us, but the first half was a reminder of what can happen if we allow our levels to drop, both individually and collectively,” he said. “That was a point the head coach made after the game, and it is up to us to make sure that we take his words on board.”

A Test of Character and Commitment

Intensity will be key. Van Dijk has emphasised the need for Liverpool to be relentless, both in and out of possession. This is not a night for half-measures.

“We need to play with more intensity, with and without the ball, and we need to run and fight for everything, from the very first whistle.”

These are the nights that define careers, the games that players dream of. For Van Dijk and his teammates, this is what football at Liverpool is all about.

“There is no hiding place on a night like this, and that is something that motivates us. I know every single player in our dressing room wants to be involved in these kinds of games, to experience these kinds of atmospheres.”

Anfield will be ready, and if history has taught us anything, it’s that when the Kop roars, Liverpool rises. PSG will arrive with confidence, but this is Liverpool, under the lights, with everything to play for.