It’s ground zero for Liverpool after their shock loss to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, as they head into tonight’s Champions League clash against AC Milan at the San Siro at 9pm.
Captain Virgil van Dijk, though, is convinced the Reds can’t put that 1-0 Premier League defeat behind them quickly and get their European campaign off to a successful start against Paulo Fonseca’s men.
After missing out on playing in the Champions League last season, Van Dijk says ahead of tonight’s clash: “I missed it. I can’t wait to be out there hearing the Champions League tune and leading out the boys.
“A club like Liverpool needs to be in the Champions League and we are finally back and let’s go out there and put a much better performance in than we did [against Forest] as it is needed otherwise you are going to have an issue.
“I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully all our fans travelling over there to support us will be in high spirits and loud voices.
“It’s always a special moment whenever I lead out the boys so Tuesday won’t be any different. It is always amazing to be playing in the Champions League.”
Former Chelsea player Tammy Abraham and his Milan teammates have not enjoyed the best of starts to Italy’s Serie A campaign, drawing two of their four games and winning their first one of the season this past weekend when Abraham, fellow ex-Blue Christian Pulisic, Youssouf Fofana and Theo Hernandez all scored in a 4-0 win over Venezia.
Milan are ninth in Italy, with the Reds fourth in the English Premier League after suffering their first defeat this past weekend.
Meanwhile, the new Champions League format comprises one league with each of the 32 teams playing eight matches – half at home and half away.
The top eight sides will qualify for the Round of 16, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knockout phase play-off to secure their path to the last 16.
It all starts here 👊#UCL pic.twitter.com/Bkw49qvXFK
TONIGHT’S OTHER UCL MATCHES
Juventus v PSV Eindhoven, Young Boys v Aston Villa (both 6.45pm), Bayern Munich v Dinamo Zagreb, Real Madrid v Stuttgart, Sporting CP v LOSC Lille (all 9pm).