Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has deemed Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi his toughest opponent he has ever faced.
Van Dijk and Messi went head-to-head with each other last season when Liverpool produced an incredible second-leg comeback to defeat Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals. The Reds went on to win the competition by beating Tottenham 2-0 in the final at Madrid to lift the European crown for the sixth time.
However, the Netherlands team captain paid tribute to Lionel Messi, a record six-time Ballon d’Or winner who is regarded as one of the greatest players ever to grace the game.
Van Dijk was asked about the toughest opponent he ever faced on Twitter and replied by naming the 32-year-old Argentine superstar when Liverpool faced Barcelona last term. “There are some difficult strikers out there, but probably Leo Messi,”
However, Van Dijk also credited Manchester City superstar Sergio Aguero, having faced the Manchester City forward regularly in recent seasons. The Dutchman felt the 31-year-old is one of the most difficult players he has ever marked in the Premier League
When asked who the hardest player to mark was, the 28-year-old defender replied: “Aguero.”.Liverpool held a 25-point lead atop the table when the season was stopped due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, the remainder of the season is still up in the air and yet to be completed.
