Virgil van Dijk admitted Liverpool had no excuses after their UEFA Champions League campaign ended with defeat to holders Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
A brace from Ousmane Dembele sealed a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg win at Anfield on Tuesday, completing a 4-0 aggregate victory for PSG.
Despite an improved performance from the first leg in Paris, Liverpool captain Van Dijk was clear in his assessment.
“That’s the bare minimum, isn’t it?” he said when told his side at least showed more fight at home.
“It’s disappointing to be knocked out, but PSG deserved to go through. Knocking on the door is not enough. I’m disappointed, but that is the reality. I think PSG deserved to go through based on the two games.”
Liverpool had been fortunate to still be in contention after a 2-0 defeat at the Parc des Princes, where manager Arne Slot admitted his side were in “survival mode.”
The defeat not only ended Liverpool’s European hopes but also dealt a major blow with a serious injury to Hugo Ekitike.
The 23-year-old striker, who has scored 17 goals in 45 appearances since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt, was stretchered off after an awkward fall in the first half.
Early reports suggest a possible Achilles tendon rupture, which could sideline him for up to nine months, though the club is yet to confirm the extent of the injury.
Van Dijk acknowledged the disappointment but urged a swift response.
“We should be very disappointed at this stage,” he added. “But a massive game awaits us. We all know how big it is.
“At this stage, I’m just not in a good place because we got knocked out of the Champions League.”
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
