Van Dijk Says Bond Between Liverpool And Fans Intact After Galatasaray Rout

Virgil van Dijk has said nan relationship betwixt Arne Slot’s Liverpool and nan Kop remains intact and cited nan rout of Galatasaray arsenic grounds of what they tin execute by sticking together.

The Liverpool skipper took rumor pinch claims that nan team’s narration pinch supporters had surgery down this play and insisted nan attraction should beryllium connected reaching nan semi-finals of nan Champions League for nan first clip since 2022. Scrutiny intensified aft Sunday’s draw against Tottenham, erstwhile boos greeted nan last whistle astatine Anfield and Dominik Szoboszlai admitted nan squad had been affected by nan show of supporters leaving early.

“That is simply a spot of a mobility I don’t for illustration – I don’t for illustration that reside to beryllium honest,” Van Dijk said erstwhile asked whether nan relationship betwixt Liverpool and their fans had been lost. “In each these years astatine Liverpool I’ve ne'er ever questioned them and I still don’t.

“There is simply a logic why location is vexation this play because we had an astonishing play past year; we became champions, we had consistent, bully football, uncovering ways to win, and this play we person had truthful galore ups and downs dealing pinch difficult moments and location has been vexation because we want to execute each 3 aliases 4 days arsenic well. But it is looking up and that’s my main focus.”

The support for Liverpool connected Wednesday could not beryllium questioned, pinch Slot’s squad receiving fierce backing from almost 60,000 location fans. Only 200 Galatasaray supporters pinch VIP tickets were successful attendance aft distant fans were banned by Uefa owing to problem astatine nan club’s playoff fixture against Juventus.

Slot trim an animated fig connected nan touchline arsenic he reacted to what he claimed were time-wasting strategies by Galatasaray to stall Liverpool’s momentum. Liverpool players besides noticeably tried to prosecute nan crowd passim nan 4-0 2nd limb win. Van Dijk insisted nan improved capacity and ambiance went hand-in-hand but denied nan squad had grounded to show specified strength successful erstwhile matches this season.

Arne Slot was capable to grin aft beating Galatasaray, 3 days aft disapproval for nan tie against Tottenham. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Uefa/Getty Images

He said: “So we didn’t spot it each season? I deliberation occasionally we person been showing and playing bully games but not consistently and it’s been frustrating for each of america and for nan fans arsenic well.

“It’s a operation of capacity and nan fans; they play a large portion successful that. The fans tin astir apt opportunity if we bring that each week connected nan transportation past location is nary rumor and we tin opportunity if nan fans bring that each 3 aliases 4 days past location is nary rumor either. It is astir doing it together.

“This play arsenic players we return afloat work for a batch of performances erstwhile we person not been bully enough. But for maine location is nary constituent to speak astir it aft we person qualified for nan past 8 because that is still a very bully thing. Someone told me, for maine personally, it is my 5th clip successful 8 years truthful it’s not a given. When nan clip is there, erstwhile nan crippled is successful beforehand of us, we each attraction connected that.”

Slot hoped nan Galatasaray capacity would group a modular for nan remainder of nan season, albeit pinch nan caveat that, pinch only 2 afloat days to hole for Saturday’s early kick-off astatine Brighton, a repetition astatine nan Amex Stadium would beryllium difficult. His skipper echoed nan telephone for consistency from Liverpool.

Van Dijk said: “We shouldn’t return this squad for granted and we are not going to do that. It is connected to nan next, build connected this, build connected nan adjacent performances. We person been having bully performances this play and we haven’t been capable to build connected it nan adjacent time. This was a demanding crippled physically and mentally and it is down to america to do each nan correct things to beryllium fresh for an early kick-off astatine Brighton because Brighton distant is ever difficult. I deliberation past twelvemonth we mislaid there.”

Galatasaray person confirmed Victor Osimhen sustained a fractured correct forearm astatine Anfield. Their prima striker was injured successful nan opening minutes and withdrawn astatine half-time, earlier going to infirmary for tests. Noa Lang besides went to infirmary pinch “a superior trim to his correct thumb”, according to his club, and posted that room went well.