"I shouldn’t have said that" - Virgil van Dijk admits regret over comments made after Liverpool defeated Chelsea in Carabao Cup final
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that he regrets his comments after his side's Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea in February. The Merseysiders lifted the League Cup in the final against the Blues thanks to Van Dijk's match-winning header in extra time.
While the players and the fans erupted in celebration after the blow of the final whistle, Van Dijk stared down the camera and yelled:
"They thought I was finished!"
The Netherlands international has now explained his outburst, recalling his side's disappointing fifth-placed finish last season, leaving Liverpool out of the Champions League this term.
Speaking after the Reds' 6-1 thrashing of Sparta Praha in the Europa League, Van Dijk said (via the Echo):
"I shouldn’t have said that. Because I don’t want to have the wrong intentions. That was part of the emotion coming out of me because there were so many emotions going through my whole body that day."
"Last season was disappointing. Not disappointing in a way that I was bad, I didn’t feel like that at all, I was just below my standards and the consistency wasn’t there that I have had and set for myself in each and every game."
The Liverpool center-back added:
"I fully understand the noise that came with it but I am a human being and not immune to any of that, so there was a bit of emotion that day but I shouldn’t have said that [to the camera]."
Virgil van Dijk has registered 36 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool this season, recording four goals and two assists.
Pundit makes shock claim about Liverpool player's preferred candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp
Pundit Alan Brazil has claimed that the Liverpool squad would not be opposed to Jurgen Klopp's assistant manager Pep Ljinders taking over the reins after the German leaves this summer.
In an announcement that covered headlines and certainly came as a shock to the club's fans, Klopp stated in January that he's decided to step down from the Liverpool role at the end of the season. The German explained that he is fatigued and needs a sabbatical from the touchline.
While many managers have been touted to lead the Reds next season, including Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso and Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi, Brazil believes the players would not mind Ljinders taking the job. He said on talkSPORT:
“I am told the players wouldn’t mind the number two, Pep taking over."
Ljinders is among the coaching staff set to depart Anfield alongside Klopp at the end of the season.