MONITORING DESK
LONDON
Virgil Van Dijk believes Liverpool can use their Champions League escape against Napoli as a springboard to win Europe\u2019s elite club competition.
Jurgen Klopp\u2019s side booked their place in the last 16 with a tense 1-0 win over Napoli at Anfield on Tuesday.
A fine finish from Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, but the Reds needed goalkeeper Alisson Becker to make a superb save to deny Arkadiusz Milik in the closing seconds before they could finally relax.
Liverpool are also top of the Premier League after going unbeaten in their first 16 games this season, raising the prospect of Klopp\u2019s men winning a first English title since 1990 while also challenging for a sixth European Cup.
Dutch defender Van Dijk sees no reason why Liverpool can\u2019t win the Champions League this term after losing last season\u2019s final against Real Madrid.
\u201cIt\u2019s something that we all want, it\u2019s something that we are going to give everything for,\u201d Van Dijk said.
\u201cWe want to play on the highest level and the Champions League, other than the Premier League for us, is the highest level.
\u201cWe want to reach the maximum and hopefully do better than we did last year in the Champions League. You need to have dreams, you need to go for it, otherwise why would you be a footballer?
\u201cIt\u2019s a great time to be a Liverpool fan or player. It\u2019s tough but enjoy it and embrace it. These are the days you want to experience as a footballer and we are.\u201d
Liverpool have conceded just six goals in the league this season and, after some less solid displays in their previous Champions League games, they managed to replicate that domestic defensive strength to keep Napoli at bay.
Van Dijk revealed much of that is built on the team ethic which means the players being confident enough to challenge each other in order to maintain their high standards.
\u201cYou need to be hard with each other. When things aren\u2019t going right you need to tell each other, otherwise it\u2019s going to be too easy. I think that\u2019s a sign of a good team,\u201d he said.
\u201cWhen people are shouting at me I take it because they want to make me better and (if it is) their mistake they take it as well if I shout to them.
\u201cThat\u2019s how it is, we\u2019re all grown-ups, we take it and after the game if you\u2019re not happy with it then you discuss it.\u201d
Van Dijk said Liverpool had been frustrated at missing \u201cbig chances\u201d against Napoli, including one opportunity that he himself volleyed over the bar.
\u201cWe could have made it a lot easier, we could have scored another two or three, we didn\u2019t, and then it was important for us to win our battles and keep it tight and we did,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MONITORING DESKLONDONVirgil Van Dijk believes Liverpool can use their Champions League escape against Napoli as a springboard to win Europe\u2019s elite club competition.Jurgen Klopp\u2019s side booked their place in the last 16 with a tense 1-0 win over Napoli at Anfield on Tuesday.A fine finish from Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, but the Reds needed […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":40148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n