Virgil van Dijk warned his Netherlands teammates to be wakker to Lionel Messi’s sneak attack in Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina.
𝐅![CDATA[]]>𝐫![CDATA[]]>𝐢![CDATA[]]>𝐝![CDATA[]]>𝐚![CDATA[]]>𝐲 𝟗 𝐃![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐜![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐦![CDATA[]]>𝐛![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐫:
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) December 6, 2022
Croatia 🆚 Brazil
Netherlands 🆚 Argentina
𝐒![CDATA[]]>𝐚![CDATA[]]>𝐭![CDATA[]]>𝐮![CDATA[]]>𝐫![CDATA[]]>𝐝![CDATA[]]>𝐚![CDATA[]]>𝐲 𝟏![CDATA[]]>𝟎 𝐃![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐜![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐦![CDATA[]]>𝐛![CDATA[]]>𝐞![CDATA[]]>𝐫:
Morocco 🆚 Portugal
England 🆚 France
We're in for a #FIFAWorldCup football feast on SuperSport this weekend 🤤
With Messi in sublime form - scoring three times in Qatar already - the Dutch defence will have to be at their best to stop the Albiceleste superstar.
And centreback Van Dijk says his manne will have to be op ‘n pos for the full 90 minutes - or however long the match lasts.
Of Messi’s threat, the Liverpool star says: “The difficult thing about him is when we are attacking, he is chilling somewhere in a corner or something.
“You have to be so very sharp in terms of defensive organisation.
“They always looked for him to try to make it difficult for us on the counter.
“It is not me against him or the Netherlands against him, but the Netherlands against Argentina.
“No one can do it on his own, we will have to come up with a good plan.”
Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is also expecting a tough night against the roaming 35-year-old and he reckons not even advice from Messi’s former boss at Barcelona and his current coach at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola can help.
Asked if he called Guardiola for some tips, Ake says: “No, I haven’t spoken to him, but if I did I’m sure he would tell me it will be pretty tough.”
Coach Louis van Gaal insists he has a plan to keep Messi quiet, saying: “You will see on Friday. I won’t tell you.”
WORLD CUP QUARTERS
Tomorrow:
Croatia v Brazil (5pm)
Netherlands v Argentina (9pm)
Saturday
Morocco v Portugal (5pm)
England v France (9pm)
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