Sport
Van Dijk Says It’s a Privilege to Play Against Messi and Ronaldo
Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has revealed that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the toughest opponents he’s ever faced on the pitch.
The Dutch defender admitted it’s no easy task coming up against either of the two footballing icons. In a chat with GQ, Van Dijk didn’t hold back as he named the duo as the most challenging players he has had to deal with throughout his career.
“Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “They’re both exceptional. Defending against them is incredibly tough. But for me, it’s an honour to play against the very best. It pushes you to your limits and keeps you sharp. That’s the beauty of it.”
Van Dijk has locked horns with Ronaldo five times, winning twice and losing three. He’s faced Messi three times, with two defeats and one unforgettable win—Liverpool’s 4–0 comeback at Anfield in 2019 that knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League.
Now nearing the end of their legendary careers, Messi is with Inter Miami in the MLS, while Ronaldo stars for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Despite being rivals on the field, both remain benchmarks for greatness—and Van Dijk knows it firsthand.
Arsenal legend Paul Merson passes message to Mikel Arteta to place Kepa Arrizabalaga as the goalkeeper in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
In a recent interview he shared “Arsenal need to make a big decision whether to go with Kepa Arrizabalaga or David Raya in goal, Kepa has been first-choice in the Carabao Cup, and they should stick with him. It is only fair because he played well and took them to this stage”
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Former Manchester City player, Joleon Lescott shares his prediction on Arsenal FC ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
It can be noted that Arsenal will face Sporting CP in the quarter-finals, while FC Barcelona will take on Atlético Madrid.
“I would not say so just because of the way they defend.
“I think a more compact team like Arsenal, and with the offensive talent that they have, I think will cause Barca a lot of problems because I still think there are frailties in their defensive line.”
He shared that Arsenal has a chance of going far in the competition.
Former captain of Watford, Troy Deeney shares his thoughts on Arsenal’s chances of winning a trophy this season.
He stated that PSG and Bayern Munich could perform better than Arsenal.
He also named Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich as the top three favourites to win the UEFA Champions League.
The former captain added that he does not think Arsenal are the strongest team and could struggle against top sides like PSG and Bayern Munich.
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