{"id":60516,"date":"2025-08-11T17:31:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T17:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/60516\/"},"modified":"2025-08-11T17:31:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T17:31:12","slug":"virgil-van-dijk-admits-he-is-still-lacking-fitness-liverpool-fc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/60516\/","title":{"rendered":"Virgil van Dijk admits he is still lacking fitness – Liverpool FC"},"content":{"rendered":"

Virgil van Dijk<\/a> has admitted he is still not fully fit with Liverpool\u2019s new Premier League<\/a> season just days away.<\/p>\n

The captain was uncharacteristically out of sorts throughout the Community Shield win, conceding a penalty and jumping out of the defensive line to allow Crystal Palace<\/a> to twice equalise. <\/p>\n

It was the first 90 minutes Van Dijk has completed since representing the Netherlands in June, having missed the opportunity against Athletic Club last week due to illness.<\/p>\n

And the 34-year-old offered a strong hint that he is still not fully fit ahead of the season opener on Friday, after taking to social media to reflect on the Community Shield defeat.<\/p>\n

He penned<\/a>: \u201cFirst of all, congratulations to Crystal Palace<\/a>. Tough to take for us and on a personal level, head down, work and improve! <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was good to get more minutes out there as I continue to work back to health and fitness. <\/p>\n

\u201cTime to focus on what\u2019s ahead now. I can\u2019t wait to be back at Anfield!\u201d<\/p>\n

In total, the No. 4 played 240 minutes throughout pre-season, the 12th most of any player in Arne Slot<\/a>\u2018s squad.<\/p>\n

There have been no details on what the specific illness was that kept him out of the pre-season friendlies at Anfield, but he will have known the importance of playing the full match on Sunday.<\/p>\n

As per FotMob<\/a>, Van Dijk earned the third-lowest rating (6.5-out-of-10) of any Liverpool player at Wembley and only successfully won two of his five duels \u2013 both in the air. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Liverpool do not have long to recover before they kick off their Premier League<\/a> title defence, with Bournemouth<\/a> the visitors on Friday evening.<\/p>\n

Van Dijk will be expected to start alongside Ibrahima Konate<\/a>, but work is to continue in the search for further reinforcements at centre-back, with Marc Guehi remaining a top candidate. <\/p>\n

Crystal Palace<\/a> chairman Steve Parish admitted<\/a> that they have to be open to selling their captain as they cannot allow Guehi to leave on a free transfer next summer. <\/p>\n

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