News'We have to do everything in our power' - Virgil van Dijk ready for PSG v Liverpool

The Reds topped the competition’s inaugural league phase with seven wins from eight games and were then paired with the French title-holders in the Round of 16.

Having placed 15th in the league phase, PSG delivered an emphatic 10-0 aggregate victory over fellow Ligue 1 side Brest in the knockout play-offs.

Leg one sees Arne Slot’s men journey to Parc des Princes on Wednesday night and the return is set for Anfield next Tuesday evening.

“It will be a very good game, I expect over there, against a team in form,” said Liverpool captain Van Dijk. “I think they played very well in their last Champions League game against Brest.

“It will be difficult but these are the games you want to compete in and I am really looking forward to it. Before that we’ve had some time with our family, a chance to spend some time with the kids and reflect on the last couple of weeks and then we look ahead to what is coming.

“Of course, it feels like [the Champions League] goes up a level now. We are in the knockout stages and there is no time for errors or bad games, basically. There are two games to get through and we want to be so good that we deserve to go through.

“But you have to fight for it, you have to do everything in your power to win the game. That is what we are going to try to do, but we are definitely aware of them.

“We will be aware of them in Paris and then obviously back here [to Anfield]. These are the nights that you want to perform in and you want to show the whole world.”

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