Huge Blow as Liverpool Star Rules Himself out of Euros with Injury

- Van Dijk says he hopes to join Liverpool in pre-season

- The Euros seem to have come a bit too early for the 29-year old, who suffered anterior cruciate ligament in October 2020

- The injury has put him out of action for the majority of the 2020/2021 campaign as Liverpool struggled to defend their title

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Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk has confirmed he will not take part in the summer European Championship as he continues to recover from a knee injury he suffered early in the season.

The centre back has been out for a large chunk of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament sustained during the Merseyside derby in October 2020.

Van Dijk was on the receiving end of a horrible tackle by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford as he picked up an injury which would go on to define Liverpool’s season in more ways than one.

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While the 29-year old is confident of joining Liverpool in pre-season training, he feels he might not be ready for the Euros.

"In this latest stage for myself, I have come to a decision that I had to make: would I be involved in the Euros, yes or no?”

"With everything that is going on, I feel physically it is the right decision that I've decided not to go to the Euros and to go into my last phase of rehab during the off-season. So, the full focus will be on pre-season with the club and that's a realistic goal, so I am looking forward to that.''

Van Dijk is only one of several key Liverpool stars at the back who have missed key games in the season as Liverpool struggled to defend their Premier League crown.

At the moment, the Reds are on course to play in the Europa League as they sit sixth on the log with heavy reliance on other results going their way if they are to make a top-four finish.

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"We all know how the season has gone - and we're not happy with how it's gone," Van Dijk admitted. "It's been frustrating for all of us, for all the Liverpool fans.

Klopp: Euros were always a long shot for Van Dijk

The fact that Van Dijk, a Netherlands international, is set to miss the Euros, is not exactly news for Jurgen Klopp.

The Liverpool boss divulged on the extent of the defender’s injury as he admitted such setbacks required lengthy spells on the sidelines.

“It's one of the most serious injuries you can get and I don't know how it came out that he could be going to the Euros because it's an average of 11 months (rehabilitation) - it happened in October so that would mean September," he said.

Netherlands face Ukraine in their first game of the Euros on June 13, before a clash against Austria four days later.

Source: Legit.ng