Virgil van Dijk believes Real Madrid's players 'ganged up' on Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Champions League final.
The Liverpool centre-back noted that Real flooded the right flank after Mo Salah was forced off with his shoulder injury.
He thinks it was a key moment of the game, as it allowed the Spanish side more freedom to attack the inexperienced academy graduate.
'Mentally, something changed for Real Madrid once Salah left the pitch,' Van Dijk told De Telegraaf.
'Suddenly Marcelo, Benzema and Ronaldo all ganged up against our young right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and left the whole right flank free.
'With Salah, they would not have dared.'
Real went on to win the final in Kiev 3-1 after a brace from Gareth Bale and one from Karim Benzema, with Reds goalkeeper Loris Karius at fault for two of the goals.
Alexander-Arnold acquitted himself admirably in such trying circumstances and his stock continues to grow in a Liverpool shirt.
Van Dijk's claims do not take a huge leap of imagination as a team with as much European experience as the champions could easily have earmarked the right side as an area to exploit without the pace of Salah to concern them on the counter attack.
Alicia1
291
Year 2030 Liverpool players still talking about UCL final in Kiev😂😂😂
Mercer7
234
These liverpool players and their big mouth. Why are you still hurt about by a incident that happened about months ago? You werent the deserving ones to be honest. If that hurts, then try winning up this time rather than whining about a situation that has already passed. Klopp and VVD calling back at the times and also the only furthest they will ever reach with this mentality. Aboyt LOLren (Lovren), his recent comments show his level. Players should watch themselves and try performing on the pitch as fast as their mouth runs off the pitch.
shegslurv
127
the reaction any time Liverpool fans and players have a flash of what happened at the UCL Final
KING_A
85
that's the voice of a loser n that's what u get when u build ur team around 1 or 2 people man city is performing wonders even without their star mam n r almost through to next stage in cl without him so lean to do so n stop complaining anytime u lose was salah not there when u lost ur resent cl mach to a side that isn't in the class of madrid? n if ronaldo n co attack the right flank what's wrong with that, r they the ones that ask klop to play an inexperienced player there?
Realmadridforlife555
69
Sorry Van Dijk, does it still hurts???