Liverpool star reveals what he said to Ajax players after defeat to Spurs

Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has revealed that he spoke to some of the Ajax players following their defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Ajax looked as if they had booked their place in the final of the Champions League to set up a date with Liverpool when they went 3-0 ahead on aggregate before half time during the semi-final second leg in Amsterdam.

A heroic second half comeback from Mauricio Pochettino’s side courtesy of a hat-trick from Lucas Moura broke the hearts of the Dutch side and was enough for Spurs to progress to the final on the away goals rule.

The Ajax players were left crestfallen on the pitch after the final whistle while the North London side celebrated jubilantly.

Van Dijk will line up in the Liverpool side when they take on Tottenham at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Saturday evening and admitted that he was surprised by the defeat.

“I couldn’t believe it either but I told them later they could be very proud of themselves,” he told the Guardian.

“If you’re very critical you can say Ajax gave it away in the second half because they didn’t play their own game.

“But they were outstanding this whole campaign and put Ajax and Dutch football back on the map.”

Opinion

Van Dijk has received rave reviews for his displays at the heart of the Reds defence this season but Harry Kane has previously enjoyed success against the Dutchman, especially at Southampton. It will be a closely contested battle, that is for sure.

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