Neymar has described how tough it is to face the 'strong and intelligent' Virgil Van Dijk.
Liverpool defender Van Dijk has come under recent criticism for a drop in form that has aligned with a poor run of results fo the Reds. The Dutchman was part of the back-line that was dragged apart in Naples on Wednesday evening as Napoli won 4-1 in the first game of the Champions League group stages.
But since signing for £75million - a then world-record fee for a defender - January 2018, the 31-year-old has established himself as one of the top defenders in the world. And current Paris Saint-Germain winger Neymar explained exactly why the Reds colossus is so hard to play against.
"Playing against Van Dijk is tough because as a centre-back, he’s so strong and intelligent," Neymar told DAZN Canada. “He knows when it’s the right time to close you down and when to go in for a tackle. That makes it harder. He’s intelligent. It’s harder to play against intelligent centre-backs. They don’t make mistakes.”
But the Brazilian star stopped short of naming Van Dijk as the toughest defender he's ever faced, instead opting for Manchester City full-back Kyle Walker. Neymar described the England international as 'fast, strong and intelligent.'
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