Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has revealed that reaching the FA Cup final is so important for the club because it is the only trophy that has eluded them in recent years.
The Reds have won the Premier League, Champions League, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup all since the start of the 2018/19 season. But the club’s last FA Cup triumph was way back in 2006 when Steven Gerrard’s heroics won it in a famous final against West Ham.
Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-2 in their semi-final at Wembley to reach a first final in the world famous competition in a decade – their last appearance ended in defeat to Chelsea in 2012.
It also means an unprecedented quadruple is still possible this season as Liverpool have already captured the League Cup and additionally remain in with a good chance of winning both the Premier League and Champions League as well before the campaign is out.
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“We made it very difficult for ourselves in the end. We created a chance to finish the game. When they scored their first goal quite early in the second half it gives them a boost but overall we are happy to go to the final,” Van Dijk reflected to BBC Sport.
“It is about scoring goals and that is what we did in the first half. A perfect first half in that case but we pay City, the champions of England at the moment and it is always going to be tough.
“There are moments you will have to suffer. You have to show a lot of strength and togetherness. It was intense like the previous game against each other but we should have killed the game off.
“We go to the final now, we haven't won anything at the moment but it is a big step for us as a group. It is the only trophy we didn't win so we will give it a go.”
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Source : 90min