Virgil van Dijk heaps praise on Dominik Szoboszlai and Conor Bradley after Liverpool beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League
Virgil van Dijk speaks after Liverpool's 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League, November 4, 2025
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Virgil van Dijk saluted in-form Dominik Szoboszlai for the "incredible" energy he brings to the team as the Liverpool captain challenged the Hungary international to now maintain his consistency.
Hungary skipper Szoboszlai has become an integral figure for Arne Slot and has arguably been one of the stand-out performers so far this season at Anfield.
The No.8 again caught the eye as the Premier League champions beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday evening and it was his delivery which opened up the visitors for Alexis Mac Allister to head home the winner in the second half.
The versatile Szoboszlai has played in three different roles already this term, filling in as a makeshift right-back while also operating in deeper and more advanced midfield positions and Van Dijk has been impressed with the former RB Leipzig man, insisting he must now keep up this level with Manchester City up next at the Etihad on Sunday.
"What you see is what you get from Dom," Van Dijk said. "He is very important. The energy he brings on the pitch is incredible, the quality that he has is outstanding and like you said he is learning each and every game and he is developing into the player we all feel like he could be.
"He is already showing that for the country he is playing for and it is about keeping on doing it for the rest of the season. So far he has had a great start to the season and he has to keep going. Keep your head down and keep performing.
"It was a good game, a lot of hard work, good opportunities, defensively we were very solid and a great win. That’s it.
"After the first half against Palace [in the league] it was quite low as well, but we all know that you get an opportunity every three or four days to turn it around and we won tonight. It was a good performance and now we have to focus on Man City.
"It will be a similar game as tonight a little bit. We are facing a very in form team like today and a striker, like today, who was in form. When that happens you have to be spot on and I think we showed we were good as a team defensively.
"We created good opportunities and they had a goalkeeper (Thibaut Courtois) that saved them a couple of times."
Van Dijk also reserved a word of praise for Conor Bradley, who was excellent on the night to help keep Brazil international Vinicius Junior quiet throughout.
"Conor was very good," he added. "Outstanding. Last year, he got injured in this game but today he held his own against one of the best wingers in recent times. So, he was outstanding.
"For everyone that is the challenge, the intensity of the games is incredible so you have to look after yourself and now he obviously played two good games, like the rest of the team, and now it is recovery and onto the next one. Then it is the international break and after that we go again."
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