"He will need to be at his best" - Jonathan Woodgate on upcoming duel between Real Madrid's Karim Benzema and Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk in Champions League final
Former Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate feels Karim Benzema will have to be at his best against Virgil van Dijk when Real Madrid meet Liverpool in the Champions League final. The European giants are set to contest a rematch of their 2018 showpiece in Paris on May 28.
The game is set to witness a key player battle between Benzema and Van Dijk, two of the best players in their respective positions right now. Van Dijk has banished his injury struggles of last season to return to his best, playing a key role in his team's push for an unprecedented quadruple.
The Reds are level on points with league leaders Manchester City, who have a game in hand. Liverpool play Chelsea in the FA Cup final on May 14, having already won the Carabao Cup earlier this year.
Virgil van Dijk has won 33 of the 40 aerial duels he has contested in the Champions League this season and is yet to be dribbled past. A beast in the air and on the ground
💪 Virgil van Dijk has won 33 of the 40 aerial duels he has contested in the Champions League this season and is yet to be dribbled past. A beast in the air and on the ground https://t.co/6clDpfz3jb
Benzema, meanwhile, has been in the form of his life, scoring 43 goals from as many games across competitions, including 15 in the Champions League, more than anybody else.
However, he's set to come up against his toughest opponent yet in Van Dijk, so Woodgate feels the striker will have to bring his best game to the final. While speaking to BritishGambler.co.uk, the 42-year-old said (via Planet Sport):
"I think Benzema is on something ridiculous like 43 goals for the season, and he will need to be at his best against Van Dijk. You play against a centre-back like Van Dijk, and he just has everything. Everything you'd want in a centre-back. If you could create a centre-back and say this is what I'd want him to look like - Virgil van Dijk is that player."
Signed for a staggering £75 million from Southampton in January 2018, Van Dijk has been a solid presence in Liverpool's defence since then. He has established himself among the best centre-backs in the game, and Woodgate feels the 30-year-old is out of this world, adding:
"If Liverpool lose him, he is irreplaceable. He's the most important player in that Liverpool team. Playing against Benzema is tough, but playing against Van Dijk is on another planet. He's just outrageously good."
Liverpool will look to avenge 2018 Champions League final loss against Real Madrid
Ahead of their rematch with Real Madrid, Liverpool will have revenge on their minds, with Mohamed Salah even sending a warning by saying they have 'a score to settle'.
REAL MADRID vs. LIVERPOOL
The 2021-22 Champions League final will be a rematch of 2018 💪 https://t.co/42IvgAu75H
In the 2018 final, the Reds were undone by two howlers from Loris Karius, while Salah went off injured just 30 minutes into the clash after a nasty shoulder-challenge from Sergio Ramos.
The Reds had redemption the next year by going all the way, but there's still a feeling of unfinished business in their camp against the Spanish champions.