Tottenham Hotspur’s Fernando Llorente praises Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk

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Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur will lock horns with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the Champions League final on Saturday.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Fernando Llorente has spoken highly of Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to La Rioja.

Spurs will take on Premier League rivals Liverpool at Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid in the final of the Champions League on Saturday evening.

Van Dijk is one of the best central defenders in the world, and the Netherlands international is set to start for the Reds.

Llorente – who is out of contract at Spurs this season and will leave this summer, according to The Daily Mail – has raved about the former Celtic and Southampton star.

Llorente told La Rioja about Van Dijk, as translated by Football.London: “He’s one of the best in the world, without a doubt. He’s probably the most physical centre-back I’ve played against.

“I already played against him when he was at Southampton when I was at Swansea, and he left a big impression.”

Stats

Van Dijk made 38 appearances in the Premier League for Liverpool this season, scoring four goals and providing two assists in the process, according to WhoScored.

In the Champions League, the former Celtic star has played 11 times for the Reds, scoring two goals and providing two assists in the process, according to WhoScored.

During the second half of last season, Van Dijk made 14 appearances in the league and six appearances in the Champions League for Liverpool, according to WhoScored.