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Liverpool center-back Virgil van Dijk will lead the defense once again when the Reds take on Villarreal in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash today (April 27).
Ahead of the encounter, Villarreal striker Arnaut Danjuma has revealed that he is looking forward to testing himself against one of the best defenders in world football.
It is worth noting that Van Dijk and Danjuma are teammates in the Netherlands national team, with the Liverpool man being the current captain of the side. For this reason, the striker feels their face-off at Anfield today will be a special one.
He told ESPN (as quoted by Football Oranje):
"You always want to compete at the highest level and improve there. Playing against Virgil is even more special because of course he is also my captain in the Dutch national team. And you won’t find a better defender than Virgil."
"For me this is a great opportunity to show myself again against the best players in the world."
Arnaut Danjuma is enjoying a prolific run in the Champions League this term, having bagged six goals and one assist for Villarreal in 10 appearances so far.
The striker claims his numbers prove he can cause damage to opposing defenses and is eager to see what he can do against Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool today.
He said:
"So far, so good. My stats and what I’ve shown show that I can do damage. I have the qualities to measure myself against the best players in the world. But I still have to keep delivering."
The 25-year-old added:
"The first step is to prove yourself, the second is to stay consistent. I’m really looking forward to fighting Virgil."
Can Villarreal outclass Virgil van Dijk and Liverpool today?
Villarreal sent a huge message across Europe when they edged past Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League this season. Before that, they took out Juventus in the Round of 16 stage in March.
If there's anything we've learned from the Yellow Submarines this season, it's that they're not scared of anyone.
Having said that, Liverpool represent a different challenge altogether. The Reds are arguably the best big-game performers in the world at the moment. Can Villarreal scale through? Only time will tell.
