Virgil van Dijk on Liverpool v Atletico, Champions League ambitions, Alexander Isak and more

On Liverpool’s U13s winning the inaugural Virgil’s Legacy Trophy tournament and whether they will be at Anfield for the Atletico game…

Yeah, they’re coming tomorrow. I’m really pleased for them and hopefully we can give them a show.

On the impression Isak has made in his first training sessions…

Very good. Very eager, obviously the quality has been shown already from the first session – I was still on international [duty but] from what I’ve heard and seen. So yeah, only positive and off the pitch as well we have conversations. I spoke to him during the international break when everything was sorted and for him obviously it’s about about getting as fit as possible as quickly as possible, getting to understand each one of us as quickly as possible – how we train, how we press, set-pieces. It’s been a good week for him. Let’s see tomorrow.

'Definitely a chance' - Arne Slot on Alexander Isak debut v Atletico

On what difference adding another world-class striker makes to the group…

Well, it’s not really an addition, it’s a replacement because obviously we’ve got players with a lot of quality who have left us, so we obviously had to replace these players that were so important for us and that we had successes with. Obviously it comes with a price tag and the price tag we have no control of. So, I totally understand from the outside world there will always be talks about that and that creates sort of pressure, but it’s down to him and obviously with us that we don’t speak about those type of things.

We want to perform, we want to show that we have the quality to play on the highest level, to play for Liverpool and to play Champions League football. Hopefully for him, score a lot of goals and that’s it. Just work hard, enjoy being the No.9 for Liverpool and be important for the group with your goals, assists, link-up play, help others – and that’s the only thing you have influence on.

On how well-equipped Liverpool are to challenge and succeed on all fronts this season…

Well, hopefully we are. We have to stay fit, that’s the main thing. I think last year it shows if you don’t have many injuries [and have] a lot of players it can help – you can rotate, you can change the game in certain ways and that’s the aim again this season: find consistency, find your best form. It’s far too easy to say it than to actually do it but that’s the responsibility that we all have as players in order to be at our best.

On what it is like to come up against a Diego Simeone team…

Unfortunately, the last time we did it here we lost. It was a painful one at the time as well, obviously we got knocked out. But it’s a team that works so hard, it’s a world-class manager, it says a lot that he has been at that club for such a long time and [I have] a lot of respect for that. They have world-class players, a world-class goalie, I can go on and on and they are just a very difficult team to beat and they will never give up – that’s the mentality they have.

They maybe didn’t have the best start [to the season] that they would love to in terms of in the league but I know that this is the start of their campaign as well and they would love to impress as quickly as possible as well. So, we have to be ready. We had a good session today and now it’s time to prepare in your own way at home and be ready for tomorrow.

Liverpool v Atletico: 13 stats as Reds begin 50th European campaign

On what Isak is like to play against…

Obviously he’s a clinical finisher. I think if you look at his finishing skills: heading, left, right, top corners – he’s the complete striker at the moment, and the same you can say about Hugo [Ekitike]. I think they are obviously maybe a little bit different but not by much, they both have so much quality. They are comfortable on the ball so they can link up play, they have pace and that’s basically what’s being asked nowadays from the modern-day striker. Both are a handful and it’s obviously good that both are on my side now! Hopefully they can show that in the next games and the whole year for the opponents.

On how long it will take this new-look Liverpool team and squad to gel…

Hopefully as quickly as possible and I’m definitely delighted with all the players, the quality that we have brought in. But it takes time, it’s absolutely normal. They [the new signings] are in a good place, I think to be here with us as a team is a great place to be. The club is in a great place. It gives them the opportunity to express themselves as quickly as possible and that’s a good thing. Obviously when I joined the club as well you want to feel welcome as quickly as possible so you can express yourself in the best way possible, on the pitch especially because that’s what counts, of course, but off the pitch as well and I think that’s definitely been happening.

On what Milos Kerkez and Dominik Szoboszlai bring to the team…

A lot of energy, a lot of quality. Milos is obviously a fantastic, aggressive, full-of-energy player who is obviously learning also how we play and the intensity of playing for Liverpool and also dealing with it on and off the pitch. It’s not an easy thing to deal with but he is going to be absolutely fine.

In terms of Dom, I think he had a great start to the season so far, obviously playing in a position that’s not maybe his favourite one but he did it with an amazing and on a world-class level in my opinion, that [means] it’s a great option to have for the rest of the season. So yeah, I’m very delighted for both of them – they are learning and they’re getting each better each and every day and I think that’s just great to see.

On whether part of his decision to sign a new contract was based on the aim of winning the Champions League again…

Obviously when I signed my deal I would hope to win everything that I’m going to participate in, but it doesn’t work like that unfortunately because you face so many great teams. But going into the start of this campaign I’m confident. I’m confident that we can show Europe that we are a fantastic team but you have to work for it. It’s all about the work that you put in – obviously on the pitch but off the pitch as well in order to be at your best. Tomorrow is a great start. We have high hopes. But tomorrow it can show again how difficult it is to be up there and we just have to take it game by game like we always do in the league. We don’t get ahead of ourselves, that’s the main thing.

On whether he feels ‘more relaxed’ given that Atletico forward Julian Alvarez has not travelled for the game…

Well, Alvarez is a fantastic player first and foremost so that will be obviously a miss, but I still think that Atletico Madrid is a very dangerous team with great players, with a fantastic manager, so we have to be at our best tomorrow. And it’s not about me being relaxed, I’m always ready for anything and for tomorrow as well. I’ll be relaxed tonight when I’m doing my normal stuff in order to be ready for tomorrow, but tomorrow when I wake up and after pre-match I’ll be more than ready to rock and roll.

On Atletico usually playing with two strikers and the challenges of playing against that system…

At times teams are playing with two strikers, maybe not directly but… I’ve mentioned it many times, it’s the way we defend is always from the front. Obviously it can be one v one at times but it’s well organised, but you have to deal with it in the situation. Whether it’s a long ball and you have to challenge headers or just ground duels or reading the game early enough, it’s just part of being a central defender. No matter what you are going to face you have to make sure that you are at your best together with your partner and your number six and the back four basically. But that’s just always a challenge and it’s nice that sometimes you face different types of strikers, different types of ways teams are playing against you – that’s nice because you have to adapt at times as well. That’s a good thing and I really enjoy it.

A big week at Anfield – book hospitality for Everton and Southampton games here

Click here to read article