There Are Still 90 Minutes At Anfield And Liverpool Know How To Turn Things Around

JAKARTA - Virgil van Dijk responded to Liverpool's 0-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League as bad luck. But he warned the Spanish club there were still 90 minutes to confirm who would qualify for the quarter-finals.

Saul Niguez's quick goal in a match held at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday, February 18 evening gave Atletico a narrow lead. But this could be the capital in the second leg at Anfield on March 11.

Saul's strike from close range when the game has been running for four minutes starting from a corner kick. Until the final whistle sounded the score did not change for the superiority of Diego Simeone's troops.

Defending champions Liverpool actually dominated possession as much as 72.5 percent, but failed to score. Mohamed Salah and Jordan Henderson even wasted their best chances. Even though he lost, Van Dijk was still optimistic about welcoming the second leg.

"We conceded a goal from a corner kick, their first chance, not even a chance. A little luck," he told BT Sport, launching Liverpool's official website, Wednesday, February 19.

"The message in the first half was that we had to keep fighting in the second half. We controlled most of the game, but unfortunately couldn't create a big chance. We still have 90 minutes to fix it.

"This is the way they play. A little bit of the Spanish style of football in which we have to adapt to it, but we know that and I feel we handled it quite well."

Matching the views of his team-mate, full-back Andy Robertson felt the Atleti fans' wild celebrations in the stands during the match were too premature. It's nothing, Liverpool's home record is somewhat impressive.

"We put in a good performance and we know we can do better. We have the second leg to fix it," said Robertson.

"They celebrate as if they have won tickets to the quarter-finals after this game. They will come to Anfield and we know our fans will be there."

The remarks of Van Dijk and Robertson are not without reason. Because Liverpool knows how to turn things around.