Liverpool's Van Dijk rates Olivier Giroud as his toughest opponent

Santi Romero 4 months ago 1.1k
Liverpool's Van Dijk described Giroud as his 'bogeyman'. AFP

Liverpool centre-back Virgil Van Dijk named former Arsenal and Chelsea player Olivier Giroud as the toughest opponent he has faced during an interview with 'France Football'.

Even the best defenders in the world have had a hard time defending or trying to stop a particular player. Several defenders have been asked who has been the toughest opponent they have faced, such as Thiago Silva, who chose Messi as the player he has had the hardest time defending against. 

In this case it was Liverpool centre-back Virgil Van Dijk who gave an answer to that question during an interview with France Football, which came as a surprise to many after he named a former Arsenal player and Chelsea star.

"Olivier Giroud. Every time, you think you've got a hold of him, that you've got him well marked, but he always manages to score in one way or another: with his head, his foot, his knee. He has often scored against me," admitted the Dutchman. "I always felt like I got him, but somehow, he always managed to score. Whether it was for Arsenal, Chelsea or France, he always scored"

"I said to him when we won the league, we won 5-3 [against Chelsea] we were 3-0 up or something and he scored a scrappy goal, I think it was against the crossbar and fell down, scrappy goal, I said to him: 'You scored again?!" added the Reds defender.

Mentioned in the news story

Liverpool
Premier League
O. Giroud
V. Van Dijk