Five top performers from Liverpool vs Bayern Munich
By Josh Ricker
#2 – Virgil van Dijk
Easily, the best defender in Europe at the moment, Virgil van Dijk was imperious at the Allianz. His defense was so sound, and he is unlucky not to hold another clean sheet against the best attacking team in Germany.
But it was not just his defense that stole the show. He hit back at critics who said he needs to score more by burying a James Milner corner kick into the bottom left, past Manuel Neuer with his head. He jumped so high he nearly leapfrogged Mats Hummels.
It has been over a year since anyone has literally dribble past van Dijk and he wins nearly every aerial duel he is in, which made Kovac really think about how he could attack the English side. In the end, low balls into the box were the most common form of attack Bayern used, but if they had watched any film they would have known van Dijk can handle those with ease as well.
It is hard to think of a misstep that the Dutchman had the entire game, and that goes to show how solid he is as an all-around football player. Rolls-Royce.