Champions League 2018/19: 3 clashes to look out for in Barcelona vs Liverpool

Lionel Messi is targeting his fifth UCL title.

#2 Lionel Messi vs Virgil van Dijk/Andrew Robertson

Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Robertson: Stalwarts of LFC's defence

Lionel Messi is in a sublime run of form this season, scoring 46 and creating 18 goals. The Argentine looks in the mood to win the Champions League this season, influencing the games on his own.

The Liverpool defence comprising of Virgil van Dijk and Andrew Roberson has been rock-solid this season. The combination of van Dijk's colossal defending and Robertson's attacking shifts have been prime ingredients of Liverpool's success.

0 - No opposition player has completed a dribble past Virgil van Dijk in any of his 36 PL apps this season. In fact, this run stretches back to last March, meaning he hasn’t been dribbled past by an opponent in any of his last 45 PL apps. Immovable. #PFAAwards #POTY pic.twitter.com/Y8BIsle0vq
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 28, 2019

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🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @AndrewRobertso5 in @PremierLeague this season: 🏟 Games: 34🎯 Assists: 11👀 More assists this season than:✅ De Bruyne ✅ Salah✅ Pogba✅ D.Silva✅ B.Silva❌ No defender has EVER provided more assists in a @PremierLeague season.🤯 Eight. Million. Pounds. pic.twitter.com/8dKpsD63eu
— SPORF (@Sporf) April 27, 2019

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Messi makes world-class defenders look like amateurs, and the Reds' shielding duo face an arduous task of containing him. Virgil van Dijk was asked about the prospect of facing the Argentine magician and he responded by saying:

“I think he is the best player in the world. But you see how we play and how we defend. We don’t defend one v one, we defend all together and we attack all together as well so we will see. We will be ready."

The onus of patrolling Barca's skipper lies significantly on the Robertson-VVD partnership. Van Dijk will require ample support from his left-sided partner. Keeping tabs on the five-time Balon d'Or winner is a litmus test for the Scottish left-back's defensive discipline.

Facing Messi is the biggest challenge for Robertson in his Liverpool career so far, and it presents an opportunity to display his positioning awareness and assert his status as one of the world's best full-backs.