Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has insisted that it is going to be a very different game when Atletico Madrid visit Anfield for the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie between the two clubs next month.
A Saul Niguez goal in the fourth minute was good enough to for Atletico Madrid to score a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday night.
Liverpool came into the game as favourites to make it through to the quarter-finals, but the result at Wanda Metropolitano as thrown a spanner in their plans.
Atletico Madrid defended staunchly after scoring early and they are expected to do the same when they travel to Merseyside next month for the second leg.
Van Dijk conceded that it was not a freak result ,but insisted that the tie is far from over and he is expecting a very different kind of game at Anfield in the second leg.
“It can happen, we knew it could be such a competition”, the defender told Dutch broadcaster Veronica.
“We are still just halfway into it and we are going full steam ahead at Anfield.
“It’s not just about Anfield, I know it will be a very different game.
“We must not panic, we had a number of chances and they will come at home too.”
Liverpool will take inspiration from last season when they overturned a three-goal deficit to beat Barcelona in the semi-final.
