The captain allowed some introspection as the year 2025 comes to a close.
The festive week has finally come around for Liverpool after their last win to Tottenham on Saturday, and the club has enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation, including having the rare Christmas Day holiday off due to not having a Boxing Day match. That means that the next match is on Saturday, this time hosting Wolves at Anfield in what will no doubt be an emotional meeting.
Captain Virgil van Dijk reflected in his final program notes of the year, looking back on all the good, the incredible, and the tragic that was 2025 in the world of Liverpool Football Club.
“I want to start by wishing each and every one of you guys a very Merry Christmas,” wrote the captain.
“This is a very special time of year, of course, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as possible, however you celebrate it.
“Because of the schedule, we were able to have Christmas Day off. I think that is the first time that has happened since I came to England and it was great to spend that time with my family and really enjoy the day.
“Saturday marks our last fixture of 2025 and when I reflect back on the year there have been a wide range of emotions for everybody at the club. There have been some incredible highs, of course. To become Premier League champions, as we did back in April, was incredible. Lifting that trophy in front of you guys at Anfield is a memory that I will never forget, I can assure you. It was a real team effort and a deserved reward for a season of hard work, on and off the pitch.
“Soon after that, though, came the most devastating of lows. The loss of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in July was something none of us could ever have prepared for, and something all of us are still coming to terms with.
“Our thoughts, as ever, remain with Diogo and Andre’s family. They will never, ever be forgotten, and we will carry their memory always.
“In terms of football, this season has been mixed, to say the least. We have seen a lot of changes in terms of the squad, with players leaving and new players arriving, and I think it’s fair to say that we have not yet shown our very best, in terms of consistency.
“We have had some good games and some memorable victories, still, but it has also been extremely challenging, with some really tough moments along the way. As captain, trust me when I say I feel those tough moments as much as anyone.”
At least the lads were able to stop the skid but losing 9 out of 12 in all competitions was not a great moment for the season. There was often criticism that it appeared that the squad was too unaffected by the losses, so the actual admission is a nice touch. Van Dijk then goes on to focus on the upcoming challenges of the rest of the season, as we head into the second half of the campaign, starting with Wolves. Wolves, who have yet to win a match in the Premier League, despite their best efforts, but the captain is sure to acknowledge that a win might not be as easy as some expect.
“Now though, the focus is solely on Saturday’s game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, where we will be looking to build on some positive recent results, and end the year on a high in front of our supporters at Anfield,” the defender continued.
“I know that a lot of people will be looking at this game, looking at our opponents’ position in the league table and expecting us to win, but we know that this will be an extremely tough game against a team which will have a lot of motivation.
“We come into this game off the back of an important win at Tottenham last weekend, but we accept that even in victory, there were clear areas for improvement in terms of our performance level. Liverpool fac WWe did a lot of things well down in north London, but we know that the last 10 or 15 minutes were far from our best, and we have to keep working hard each and every day to improve, because in the Premier League, sloppiness is punished more often than not.
“That said, we are all looking forward to getting out there on Saturday afternoon, and I know we can bank on your fantastic support as ever.
“Let’s finish the year on a high.”
Wolves come to visit Anfield on Saturday, December 27, at 5:30pm BST/12:30pm EST.
Category: General Sports
