Former Italy and Milan centre back Franco Baresi has waged into the best defender agrument that is going around the football world, saying Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk is the best in the world right now.
Having helped Jurgen Klopp’s side reach the Champions League Final last season, he has been an ever-present for the Reds’ title charge so far this year with the club currently sitting top of the table after conceding just 18 goals from 31 Premier League games.
Liverpool are also still going strong in the Champions League after knocking out Bayern Munich and face a quarter-final clash with Porto next month. And if they are to end their 29-year wait for a league title, or lift their sixth Champions League trophy in Madrid on June 1, then Van Dijk will have inevitably have played a huge role.
As one of the greatest central defenders to ever to play the game, AC Milan legend Franco Baresi knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a rock at the heart of the back four.
And the former Italian international, a three-time Champions League winner with the Serie A club, believes the Netherlands skipper is currently one of the best in the world in his position.
However, he doesn’t think Van Dijk will help his side go one better in Europe this season after dismissing the Reds’ Champions League chances.
“It is difficult to choose who is the best defender as there are a lot of good players around but Van Dijk is a very strong, very good player and he has changed Liverpool,” said Baresi.
“The way he controls the ball makes him definitely one of the best. Matthijs de Ligt of Ajax is also another very good defender, while Italy have always produced strong defenders.
“We have a strong tradition of producing good defenders and Alessio Romagnoli has definitely come big in the last few years and is going to play a great level with AC Milan and Italy.”
He continued: “The draw has kept the strongest teams on paper apart, so it’s difficult to say who will win it, but if I have to make a choice I would pick Barcelona and Man City. “It’s also worth bearing in mind that Juventus, after so many upsets in the Champions League in the past, have a strong passion to go back to the final.”