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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk believes the Reds still have work to do in their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against Inter Milan.
Despite a fairly even start, the Nerazzurri faded away in the second half of the first leg last night (February 16). Jurgen Klopp's side seized the initiative and scored twice in the final quarter of the hour to exit the San Siro with a two-goal advantage.
The result means Liverpool effectively have one foot in the Champions League quarterfinals. Van Dijk, who was named UEFA's Man of the Match after keeping a clean sheet in an impressive display, praised his team after the match. The Dutchman told beIN sports (as quoted by Liverpool Echo):
"It was tough. It was more tough for Inter in my opinion. Well-deserved win. We had to work hard and that's something we expected before the game - this is the Champions League, Inter is the reigning champions of Italy so we know it was going to be a battle."
Asked if he believes the two-goal cushion was good enough for the Reds to progress, Van Dijk answered in the negative. He said:
"No, anything is still possible. We should be looking forward to the game in Liverpool and same as today - we were ready for the battle, we knew it was going to be tough, we will be under pressure at times, we knew we would have to suffer."
The 30-year-old concluded:
"The same will probably be in Liverpool. We have a good result at the moment but the tie is not over. They will still believe that - we will have to make sure we are ready."
Liverpool's hopes of winning multiple trophies are well and truly alive after win over Inter
Victory at the San Siro will certainly give Klopp's side a massive boost in confidence for the remainder of the season. They will look to settle the tie once and for all when Inter visit Anfield on March 8.
The win also meant the Reds extended their winning streak to seven matches across all competitions. They are unbeaten in their last 10 matches and have looked an extremely solid outfit.
In addition to their impressive position in the Champions League, Liverpool are still alive in all three domestic competitions. They will look to win their first trophy of the season on February 27 when they take on Chelsea in the final of the Carabao Cup. The Reds have also made it into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Lastly, they are second in the Premier League table and are currently nine points behind leaders Manchester City with a game in hand.
