the Dutch general is in a triumph match after leading his squad to a second Champions League final in a row ..
Authoritarian: if Virgil van Dijk did not allow Liverpool to clinch his first English league title since 1990 early May, the Dutch general is in a triumph match after leading his troop to a second Champions League final immediately, Saturday in Madrid against Tottenham.
His performances with the "Reds", styled on the line by Manchester City in the frantic race for the coronation in the Premier League, managed to make forget the madness of his arrival. A feat as the transfer of the most expensive defender in the world, recruited for 84 million euros in January 2018, weighed.
At the time, the negotiations between Liverpool and Southampton are stormy but the German coach does not budge: it will be Van Dijk and no one else! Two Champions League finals later, that's saying that the choice was wise.
"No one thinks about it, it's good, because right now, in the market, it's worth it," says the manager.
He is not the only one to think so: the 27-year-old has become the first defenseman to be named the best Premier League player by his peers for 14 years.
In the field, Van Dijk brought a balance to the eleven liverpuldien. The first two years of Klopp on the bench, his men scored a lot but also cashed. Now the arrows of the attack, Mohamed Salah in the lead, have a counterweight in defense.
Powerful, calm and confident, the colossus (1.93m) also impresses with his leading qualities, allowing the talents at his side in defense of hatching, from Andy Robertson to Trent Alexander-Arnold, through Joe Gomez .
"That's what is expected of a new player, he will progress the whole team," summarizes Klopp. "Of course he's a very good player," but he also makes "better players around him," said the tactician.
"Quality has a price"
Here is the Liverpool version Van Dijk: able to score four goals in Barcelona in the Champions League, but also to finish better defense of England through 21 games without conceding a goal.
"Liverpool has grown immensely as a team recently, and it owes a lot to Van Dijk," commented AFP legendary Italian defender Franco Baresi.
The North West club can now dream of a season-ending apotheosis with a sixth title in C1, provided they overcome Tottenham.
It is also during the victory against the Spurs at the end of March that the Dutchman has perhaps best shown his talent. One action, in particular, had made an impression: five minutes from the end of a match that Liverpool absolutely had to win to keep pace with Manchester City, he had stopped a single counterattack by Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung -min.
"This shows why Liverpool paid more than 70 million pounds" this player, then recognized Tottenham coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Or to put it in Klopp's mouth: "Quality comes at a price, it's the case for cars, it's the case for a lot of things and the players too. . "
If he raises the cup with big ears in Madrid, the 84 million euros will certainly look good.
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