Virgil van Dijk has opened up on what he told his Liverpool team-mates following their Champions League exit at the hands of PSG on Tuesday night.
The Merseyside giants had gone into the Anfield showdown 1-0 up from the first leg after Harvey Elliot's late goal at the Parc des Princes last week.
However, Ousmane Dembele's goal in the 12th minute got PSG back into the tie - with the match then going to penalties.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, the same goalkeeper who rose to the occasion in the final of Euro 2020 back in 2021, then denied Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones to ensure the Ligue 1 titans go through.
Liverpool news: Virgil van Dijk has opened up following the Reds' Champions League exit to PSG on Tuesday night
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It was a crushing defeat for Liverpool, whose hopes of a Premier League and Champions League double are now in ruins.
They have an immediate chance to bounce back, however, with Arne Slot's team poised to lock horns with Newcastle in the final of the Carabao Cup on Sunday.
And Van Dijk, speaking to Amazon Prime, has now admitted that he's already attempted to lift his team-mates despite the disappointing nature of their European exit.
The former Southampton and Celtic star stated: "It was a very intense great game of football, I think to be part of it as well.
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"It was totally there for Liverpool and what we showed in Paris and unfortunately were out on penalties and that is the reality.
"I think in the first half we created dangerous moments and they have the quality as well, and then it comes down to penalties.
"It's part of football, I said to the guys, obviously, you can be disappointed because we're out of the competition, but chin up and get ready for the next challenge, a beautiful one on the weekend."
Liverpool boss Slot has also reacted to the defeat.
Liverpool news: Gianluigi Donnarumma saved two penalties as PSG progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League last night
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The 46-year-old, while disappointing, showed class by hailing PSG and the level of the match in general.
Slot added: "It was the best game of football where I was ever involved in.
"Incredible performance, especially compared to last week.
"First 20/25 minutes, we were all over them, created chance after chance and all of a sudden we were 1-0 down.
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"Probably it was almost the opposite, maybe we ran out of luck because the margins were so small tonight.
"After 90 minutes it felt we deserved more than being 1-0 down. I was waiting for us to score. I don't think the second half, apart from the last five minutes, when they threatened us once or twice.
"We played the perfect game except from scoring goals, it was the same for PSG last week when they played the perfect game and didn't score and it happened to us today.
"It's always difficult if you put so much effort in, for the first 25 minutes I've never seen them so aggressive and so intense as they were today, and then you look at the scoreboard and you're 1-0 down, an unlucky goal as well.
Liverpool news: Arne Slot is proud of his players despite their Champions League exit to PSG last night
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"When you put in so much effort that's sometimes difficult and in the end it comes down to penalties and we, as Dutch know how to lose [on penalties].
"It had everything you'd like to see from a football game."
