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Lionel Messi: How Virgil van Dijk WILL stop Barcelona superstar - Liverpool legend
VIRGIL VAN DIJK will be able to thwart Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, according to Liverpool legend Phil Thompson.
Van Dijk and Messi are set to go head to head in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
Liverpool are aiming to dump Barcelona out and reach their second successive final in the competition.
Messi is yet to score against Liverpool in his two previous appearances against them.
Thompson believes the key to stopping the Argentine is by slowing him down, not allowing him to run with the ball and build up momentum
Even the Lionel Messis find it very difficult then to have to beat people from a standing start
He admits it will be difficult for Liverpool to stop the 31-year-old.
But Thompson reckons PFA Player of the Year Van Dijk is up to the task.
“As a defender myself, when you get players like that, you need to get them to stop the ball,” Thompson told Sky Sports.
“It’s like [Eden] Hazard, once they get that momentum, it’s really difficult.
“They’ve got that low-centre of gravity, they’ll go past you like a slalom skier.
“So you have to get to them, get close, get them to stop the ball.
“And then even the Lionel Messis find it very difficult then to have to beat people from a standing start.
“I would think that is the way [Van Dijk will play].
“Will he come into Virgil’s areas? Now and again.
“[Luis] Suarez is going to be there, then you’ve got [Philippe] Coutinho the other side.
“But Messi comes in-between the lines and that’s when he gets the ball.
“If he’s not picked up, and he gets that momentum, then he can cause trouble.”