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#3. The defence holding firm:
The 0-3 loss against Barcelona was the only match in which Liverpool’s defence almost crumbled. Otherwise, Virgil van Dijk, the PFA’s player of the year in the 2018-19 season, led their defence with a series of spirited performances. Liverpool could also successfully negotiate with Dejan Lovren’s absence owing to an injury for an extended period of time, as Joel Matip supported van Dijk brilliantly.
Van Dijk and Matip appeared in 50 and 30 matches respectively last season, and lent solidity to Liverpool’s defence . They neutralized Harry Kane in the final and Lionel Messi in the return leg of the semifinal. Moreover, Liverpool did not concede a goal in their last two matches in Champions League, as their centre-back duo hardly put a step wrong.
In addition to that, Liverpool’s goalie Alisson Becker also performed creditably throughout the season. He gave yet another inspiring performance in the final too. He was quite possibly the best goalkeeper in the last season's Champions League.
Liverpool’s full-backs also enhanced their reputation this season. Both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson played exceptionally throughout the season, and played their respective parts in the Reds’ memorable campaign.
