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.
