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Publication date: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 4:32 AM
Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag admits he does not know if he is relieved Liverpool are left without Virgil Van Dijk when they meet in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The captain of Holland has been ruled out for several months as you need surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament damage.
The center-back was caught by a knee-high challenge from Jordan Pickford after just 11 minutes of Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
“I don’t know,” Ten Hag said when asked if he was relieved that the center-back was not present.
“At the end of the day it’s about who’s still playing. It will not be a different Liverpool, they always play the same.
“The quality of Man A can change to Man B, the whole team will not change because Virgil Van Dijk is not present.
But the team will not improve without Van Dijk. It doesn’t change my battle plan anymore. “
Ten Hag wants his team to be bold against Jurgen Klopp’s men at the Amsterdam Arena.
“I want to see a brave Ajax against Liverpool. A team that plays with confidence in itself and can implement the principles we have agreed on on the pitch ”.
Ten Hag, who will be without Antony and Jurrien Timber, also praised Klopp’s men and believes they could win the Champions League again.
“That’s why I think Liverpool is the best team in the world. Even though they now have some setbacks with injuries, they can absorb that.
“Although the defeat against Aston Villa shows that they are not infallible.”
Tadic praises Liverpool
Added former Southampton player Dusan Tadic. “Liverpool is a candidate to win the Champions League again. But we want to play against these types of teams.
“At Ajax, expectations are always high, but we have to be realistic. We have to improve every game ”.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are heading to Amsterdam and will be missing key players.
Klopp’s defensive options have been further expanded after Joel Matip did not train at Melwood and is unlikely to travel.
The Reds no longer have Van Dijk, and losing Matip, who was seen leaving a Liverpool hospital at the weekend, is one more blow.
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