San Siro, Milan — Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised his team’s composed reaction following an early setback in their UEFA Champions League opener against AC Milan. Despite falling behind to Christian Pulisic’s goal in the third minute, Liverpool rallied to secure a 3-1 victory, thanks to goals from Ibrahima Konate, van Dijk himself, and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Van Dijk reflected on Liverpool’s response to the early goal, contrasting it with their performance in the previous weekend’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Nottingham Forest. He admitted that the team looked disorganized during that match, but was pleased to see them adhere to manager Arne Slot’s game plan against Milan.

“It was very good in so many ways after going behind so early,” Van Dijk said. “We stayed calm and played how we wanted to play, rather than running around without a clear plan as we did in the last game. You could play for another hour in that game and we wouldn’t have scored.”

The 33-year-old defender downplayed concerns about the criticism following the Forest loss, emphasizing that external opinions were irrelevant compared to the team’s performance on the pitch. “What can you do about the outside? You can’t control that. The only thing we can influence is what happens on the pitch, and today we showed that.”

The team’s response to the Forest defeat had been questioned, especially with Slot maintaining a largely consistent lineup despite calls for rotation. Slot’s decision to make only two changes against Milan included giving Cody Gakpo his first start of the season. Gakpo’s dynamic performance, which included a key assist, was a highlight of the match.

Van Dijk praised Gakpo’s contribution and highlighted the importance of squad depth. “Cody had a very good game. Last year, he played well too, and it’s important to remember that. We need everyone to be at their best, and Cody proved today that he can make a difference.”

The victory over Milan not only demonstrated Liverpool’s ability to bounce back from adversity but also reaffirmed the team’s resilience and commitment under Slot’s management