LIVERPOOL: Virgil Van Dijk has claimed Liverpool can use their Champions League escape against Napoli as a springboard to win Europe鈥檚 elite club competition.
Jurgen Klopp鈥檚 side booked their place in the last 16 with a tense 1-0 win over Napoli at Anfield on Tuesday night.
A fine finish from Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead, but the Reds needed goalkeeper Alisson to make a superb save to deny Arkadiusz Milik in the closing seconds before they could finally relax.
Liverpool are also top of the Premier League after going unbeaten in their first 16 games this season, raising the prospect of Klopp鈥檚 men winning a first English title since 1990 while also challenging for a sixth European Cup.
Dutch defender Van Dijk sees no reason why Liverpool cannot win the Champions League this term after going close last year, when they lost in the final against Real Madrid.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we all want, it鈥檚 something that we are going to give everything for,鈥� Van Dijk said.
鈥淲e want to play on the highest level and the Champions League, other than the Premier League, for us is the highest level.
鈥淲e want to reach the maximum and hopefully do better than we did last year in the Champions League. You need to have dreams, you need to go for it, otherwise why would you be a footballer?
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great time to be a Liverpool fan or player. It鈥檚 tough but enjoy it and embrace it. These are the days you want to experience as a footballer and we are.鈥�
Liverpool have conceded just six goals in the league this season and, after some less solid displays in their previous Champions League games, they managed to replicate that domestic defensive strength to keep Napoli at bay.
Van Dijk revealed much of that is built on the team ethic which means the players being confident enough to challenge each other in order to maintain their high standards.
鈥淵ou need to be hard with each other. When things aren鈥檛 going right you need to tell each other, otherwise it鈥檚 going to be too easy. I think that鈥檚 a sign of a good team,鈥� he said.
鈥淲hen people are shouting at me I take it because they want to make me better and (if it is) their mistake they take it as well if I shout to them.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 how it is, we鈥檙e all grown-ups, we take it and after the game if you鈥檙e not happy with it then you discuss it.鈥�
Van Dijk said Liverpool had been frustrated at missing 鈥渂ig chances鈥� against Napoli, including one opportunity that he himself volleyed over the bar.
鈥淲e could have made it a lot easier, we could have scored another two or three, we didn鈥檛, and then it was important for us to win our battles and keep it tight and we did,鈥� he said.