Florian Wirtz has issued a rousing call to arms to his struggling Liverpool team-mates as the Reds prepare to navigate a gruelling Premier League run-in. Having been dumped out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, Arne Slot’s men have just six top-flight fixtures remaining this season.
With their grip on a top-five finish far from secure, Liverpool face daunting away days at Everton, Manchester United and Aston Villa – alongside a home clash with Chelsea at Anfield – in the closing weeks of the campaign. Ahead of the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium this weekend, Wirtz declared: “We have to play Champions League football next season. We owe this to the club and to the fans. We have to take the defeat (to PSG) and move on. The focus goes completely to the end of the season and the Premier League.”
His words were mirrored by Ryan Gravenberch, who struck a similarly downbeat tone alongside Slot when reflecting on Liverpool’s misfortunes throughout the season.
Gravenberch said: “We have to pick ourselves up as Sunday is waiting. We still have six matches in the league and we just want to play in the Champions League next year as well. We have to give it our all.
“We have been a bit unlucky whereas last year we got a lot of things going our way. This year it feels we’re actually only getting setbacks – (conceding) a lot of goals in the last minute, not finishing our own chances when we are playing well. It’s just a tough season.
“The failure is big (this season). Ultimately you want to win a trophy but if you don’t have that in a season like the one we’re having now, you can only learn from it.”
Gravenberch drew only a fragment of comfort from the fact that Liverpool produced a much-improved performance in the second leg against PSG, albeit with precisely the same disappointing result. In fact, the Dutchman declared the manner of their exit – failing to score in 180 minutes against PSG – unacceptable.
He continued: “I thought we played a good game but if you don’t finish your chances, then it gets difficult. Is it acceptable to be eliminated this way? No, actually not. It’s disappointing.”
Gravenberch’s captain, Virgil van Dijk, echoed his compatriot’s sentiments and admitted he was very down post-match. He added: “Knocking on the door is not enough. That’s the bare minimum, isn’t it? I’m disappointed that we were knocked out, but that is the reality. It’s disappointing to be knocked out but PSG deserved to go through.
“But a massive game awaits for us (on Sunday). We all know how big it is. It will obviously be a tough one but it is something to look forward to. But at this stage, I’m just not in a good place because we got knocked out of the Champions League.”