Virgil van Dijk reacts to Darwin Nunez message as Liverpool exit Champions League
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez sent a message on social media after his crucial penalty miss against PSG.
The Reds held a slender 1-0 lead from their first-leg tie in Paris, thanks to a goal from Harvey Elliott, and a heroic goalkeeping performance from Alisson.
Going into the second-leg at Anfield Arne Slot‘s side, much like in the previous tie, were subjected to an onslaught of pressure for the Parisian team.
Despite a positive start from Liverpool, Ousmane Dembele gave PSG the lead in the 12th minute, making the most of a fortunate mishap between Alisson and Ibrahima Konate.
After a back-and-forth 120 minutes, neither side were able to deal the decisive blow, and the tie was forced to penalties.
Ultimately, following misses from Nunez and Curtis Jones, Liverpool were knocked out by a youthful PSG side.
Darwin Nunez tells Liverpool fans ‘keep going’ after Saudi links
Following the heart-breaking loss, Nunez posted a photo of himself on Instagram, captioned in Spanish: “Levantarse y seguir, como siempre”, which translates to: “Get up and keep going, as always”.
The post was then liked by the Uruguayan’s captain and teammate, Virgil van Dijk.
Slot plans to sell Nunez this summer, expert Mick Brown told Football Insider exclusively.
The former Benfica man was linked with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League in January, with Liverpool making Nunez unhappy after blocking a move.
It seems more and more likely this season will be the Uruguayan international’s last at Anfield, and Liverpool are interested in signing Alexander Isak to replace their misfiring striker.
Liverpool’s underperformance against PSG exposes gaps in squad
Football Insider Verdict
Nothing highlights the brilliance of Slot’s management more than a loss does.
Liverpool are going to win the Premier League at a canter, and have done so only losing one game so far.
However, each time they do lose, the loss exposes the massive issues the Reds need to address.
| 2024/25 Premier League stats | Nunez |
| Appearances | 23 |
| Starts | 8 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Minutes | 962 |
Against PSG, their lack of a top-level forward was painful to watch, as Diogo Jota and Nunez took turns over both legs to leave Liverpool fans aghast.
Those losses make the Merseyside club’s dominance in the league all the more astounding, they are strolling to only their second Premier League title this century without a competent striker.
Should Liverpool go all out, signing a true powerhouse number nine, and perhaps a replacement for Andy Robertson this summer, it is scary to think about the level of performance the champions-elect could reach next season.