Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk accepts that overturning a 2-0 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-final will demand something out of the ordinary, but believes Anfield can still host another major European comeback if Liverpool deliver a strong performance across the whole match.

The first leg in Paris ended with Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scoring for Luis Enrique’s side, leaving Liverpool needing at least three goals at home to progress in normal time, while also trying to keep a clean sheet against one of Europe’s most dangerous attacking teams.

This tie adds another chapter to Liverpool’s meetings with the reigning Champions League holders at Anfield. This will be the fifth such occasion, with Liverpool losing the first three, twice against Real Madrid and once to Barcelona, before defeating Real Madrid 2-0 in November 2024 under Arne Slot.

Liverpool’s record in this season’s competition underlines the scale of the challenge. Liverpool have already lost four Champions League matches in this campaign, matching their highest number of defeats in a single season in the tournament, a figure previously reached in 2006-07 and again in 2018-19, when they still lifted the trophy.

The Barcelona semi-final in 2018-19 remains Liverpool’s only previous success when recovering from a first-leg deficit of at least two goals in the Champions League knockout rounds, a reminder that such turnarounds are rare yet still possible on a big European night at Anfield.

Across Champions League knockout ties before this season’s quarter-finals, 17 teams have been eliminated despite building first-leg leads of two goals or more. PSG have suffered this outcome three times, more than any other club, which keeps some hope alive for Liverpool supporters looking back at previous collapses.

We need something very special to happen otherwise we will have no chance, said the Liverpool captain.

Van Dijk stressed that the display in the French capital cannot be repeated if Liverpool are to reach the semi-finals. The defender highlighted the need for a clear strategy and a sustained effort across the full contest, while also underlining how important the Anfield atmosphere could become.

“If we play like we did in Paris then we will have no chance anyway, in my opinion. The fans will probably be the most important factor, together with our performance. I’ve been very lucky to experience those nights where the connection between the fans and the performance has been unbelievable. There is an opportunity on Tuesday to come up with a good game plan and fight for it for 90-plus minutes. I am really looking forward to it. It’s a privilege to be in the quarter-finals regardless. We shouldn’t take that for granted. We have to remember we are Liverpool. We have to make it a memorable night.”

Van Dijk’s comments frame the second leg as both a demanding test and a chance for Liverpool to draw on past comebacks at Anfield, with the captain pointing to tactical discipline, intensity and crowd support as key elements if Liverpool are to extend their Champions League campaign beyond the quarter-final stage against PSG.