Liverpool’s 32-year-old Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has hailed Paris Saint-Germain’s performance in their recent European showdown. In comments reported by L’Equipe, he underlines the quality of the Parisian game and looks back on the scenario of the match, ultimately won by PSG on penalties.
Van Dijk “I was very impressed by PSG’s style of play”.
“I was very impressed by PSG’s style of play, the individual quality of their players and the effort they put in. It was quite surprising that we won when they had dominated us, but these things happen in soccer. On this occasion, we could have scored in the first twenty minutes, which would have changed the complexion of the match. In the end, the match was fairly even and went to penalties, which are like a lottery. The Parisians came through, bravo to them.“
Praise for PSG is pouring in from opponents and experts alike. Opponents, who are often overwhelmed, talk of a “world-class” team and a tight-knit collective in which individuality is sublimely at the service of the group. Even in Ligue 1, coaches such as Éric Roy and Julien Stéphan are quick to praise the club’s progress, which has turned them into a veritable physical and psychological machine.
This widespread recognition reflects the change of era for the capital club, now hailed for its collective strength and rediscovered identity. To see one of the season’s best players praising the Parisian club can only be pleasing. The club wanted a new project, and we’re right in the middle of it, and it’s working particularly well.
