A video of Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk chatting to Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Luis Campos started doing the rounds after Tuesday’s game, prompting concern among some Reds fans.
The exchange in the bowels of Anfield was caught on camera by a French journalist in attendance, and RMC Sport has now reported what the conversation involved.
The French outlet says that Van Dijk apologized to Campos following an incident that took place at half-time in the first leg. Campos had complained to the referee in the players’ tunnel at the Parc des Princes following a first-half challenge by Ibrahima Konate, prompting Van Dijk to shout “it’s not Ligue 1”, suggesting that the threshold for fouls might be lower in the French top flight than it is in Europe.
Van Dijk is reported to have said sorry to Campos for that, while he is also reported to have informed Al-Khelaifi and Campos that Luis Enrique’s PSG side is the best team that he has come up against in the last three years, which is high praise considering the quality of the Manchester City sides that Liverpool has faced in recent times.
Some Liverpool fans online were concerned that the discussion might have surrounded Van Dijk’s Liverpool future, ahead of the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.
In reality, the chances of that being discussed in the moments immediately after Liverpool had been eliminated from the Champions League are slim to none.
Van Dijk was actually asked about his future in the mixed zone at Anfield after the game and responded: “I still have no idea [about mu future] at the moment. Genuinely, I have no idea. It is not on hold. Nothing is on hold. I keep saying the same thing. There are 10 games to go and that is my full focus.
“If there is news, you guys will know it. I don’t even know myself. Everyone knows there are some conversations behind the scenes, but that is about it. At the moment, I don’t even know what will happen next year. If anyone says they do know, they are lying to your face.”
