Virgil van Dijk has underlined Liverpool’s determination to secure automatic qualification to the Champions League last 16, as the Reds prepare for a decisive clash with Qarabag at Anfield.
Victory tonight would confirm a top-eight finish in the league phase and allow Liverpool to avoid the uncertainty of the knockout round play-offs, a situation SoftFootball recently highlighted as one the club are eager to escape.
Beyond qualification, the fixture also presents an immediate opportunity for response following Liverpool’s disappointing Premier League defeat to AFC Bournemouth.
That loss ended an unbeaten run and shifted the mood quickly, making the Qarabag encounter even more important. Liverpool see this home tie as a chance to finish the job they started strongly in Europe.
Writing in the matchday programme, Van Dijk made it clear in a post shared by the club’s official X account that the squad fully understands what is at stake. He stressed that the responsibility lies firmly with the players to deliver both the result and the performance required.
The captain wrote:
We know what is at stake tonight, and it is up to us as a team to deliver the result and the performance that we need to secure our place in the Champions League last 16.
The Dutch defender also pointed to the work Liverpool have already done during the league phase. According to Van Dijk, beating strong opponents earlier in the competition means little if the team fails to complete the task now.
He added:
We have worked extremely hard to put ourselves in this position, beating some very good teams during the league phase, but we need to finish the job now.
Reflecting on the Bournemouth defeat, Van Dijk admitted the frustration inside the camp was intense, especially given the late and scrappy nature of the goal conceded.
He explained:
To lose the way we did, in stoppage time and from such a scrappy goal, having battled so hard to get back into the game, left us all extremely frustrated.
He also highlighted how quickly football can turn, noting the contrast between the praise received after beating Marseille and the criticism that followed days later.
Van Dijk said:
That’s football. We got a lot of praise after the win against Marseille, but three days later it’s the complete opposite.
Despite that swing, the Liverpool captain returned to a familiar theme: consistency. He believes that finding it again is key, especially with the support of the Anfield crowd.
Van Dijk concluded, calling on the team to embrace the challenge and push forward together:
We want that last-16 place badly, and we will give everything we have to get it.
With qualification within reach and Anfield ready to respond, Liverpool know there is no room for hesitation as they chase another big European night.
